1. Folic acid
Vitamin b9 is also called folate, folic acid, CAS 59-30-3, chemical formula C19H19N7O, molecular weight 441.14.
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, named because it is very abundant in green leaves, also known as chatteroyl glutamate. Folic acid contains one or more glutamyl groups, and most of the naturally occurring folic acid is in the polyglutamic acid form. Folic acid is yellow crystalline and slightly soluble in water, but its sodium salt is very soluble in water. It is insoluble in ethanol. It is easily destroyed in acidic solutions and unstable to heat, is easily lost at room temperature, and is extremely easily destroyed by light.
2. Classification and application of folic acid
Folic acid is mainly classified into feed grade, food grade, and pharmaceutical grade.
2.1 Feed grade folic acid
When vitamin b9 is added to pig feed, the whole period of daily weight gain of piglets was significantly increased compared with the basal diet group, the protein concentration in serum, DNA, RNA, and protein content in the liver was significantly increased, and the concentration of urea nitrogen in serum was very significantly reduced.
In the tissue metabolism of high-yielding dairy cows, folic acid and choline can provide one-carbon groups for energy and protein metabolism, purine, and DNA synthesis in the body tissues of dairy cows, thus improving the performance of dairy cows.
The addition of folic acid to poultries can significantly increase the feed intake and average daily weight gain of broilers and significantly reduce the feed-to-weight ratio, and the combination of folic acid and niacin was found to increase the average daily weight gain of broilers vary significantly.
2.2 Food grade folic acid
Folic acid is mainly used in functional drinks, foods, and nutritional supplements to enhance the immunity of the human body. The main effect is to supplement folic acid for middle-aged and elderly people to rapidly reduce the level of HCY and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents caused by high HCY levels.
2.3 Pharmaceutical grade folic acid
Folic acid has an extremely important role in human health. Folic acid deficiency can lead to neurological malformations in newborns, thrombo-occlusive cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, megaloblastic anemia, senile vascular dementia, risk of depression, and other diseases.
3. Folic Acid Key Manufacturers
The main production capacity of folic acid is concentrated in China.
At present, the main manufacturers of folic acid are Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., Ltd, Changzhou Xinhong Pharmaceutical & Chemical Industrial Technologies Inc., Jiangxi Tianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd, Anhui Tiger Biotech Co. Ltd, Xinfa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, and Hebei Jiheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The total production capacity is over 3000 tons.
3.1 Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., Ltd
Nantong Changhai Food Additives Co., Ltd, which belongs to Guangdong Guangye Qingyi Food Technology Co., Ltd, was selected as one of the double hundred enterprises (central enterprises’ subsidiary enterprises and one hundred local state-owned backbone enterprises) in 2018. We have been working hard in the food additive industry for more than 50 years, providing quality ingredients to the global food, human nutrition, animal nutrition, and pharmaceutical industries. Its main products are sucralose, aspartame, and vitamin b9
3.2 Changzhou Xinhong Pharmaceutical & Chemical Industrial Technologies Inc
Changzhou Xinhong Pharmaceutical & Chemical Industrial Technologies Inc. was established in May 1997, located at No. 10 Longgang 3rd Road, Binjiang Economic Development Zone, Chunjiang Town, Xinbei District, Changzhou City, specializing in the research and development, production, and marketing of vitamin products folic acid (VB9), with a current production capacity of 300 tons per year.
3.3 Jiangxi Tianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
Established in September 2004, Jiangxi Tianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the production of vitamins. The company’s main products include vitamin B6, vitamin B1, vitamin b9, biotin, and vitamin D3, which are mainly used in the fields of API, food additive, and feed additive.
3.4 Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd
Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd (stock code: 603079), is mainly engaged in the research and development, production, and sales of food and feed additives, products include biotin, folic acid, and other vitamin products and lactic acid streptococci, natamycin and other biological preservatives class
3.5 Anhui Tiger Biotech Co. Ltd
Anhui Tiger Biotech Co. Ltd is a subsidiary of BBCA, mainly responsible for vitamin production. The products cover calcium pantothenate, vitamin c, vitamin b6, vitamin b9, etc.
3.6 Xinfa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
Xinfa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd was founded in 1998 and is a high-tech private enterprise mainly producing feed additives, vitamins, raw materials for veterinary medicine, and pharmaceutical intermediates. Its main products are calcium pantothenate, folic acid, vitamin b6, and b1.
3.7 Hebei Jiheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
Hebei Jiheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd was founded in 1996, and mainly produces antipyretic and analgesic drugs, vitamins, and API research and development. The company’s main product is acetaminophen, starting from the basic chemical raw materials, pharmaceutical intermediates, API, DC granules, and tablets are all available. Folic acid is directly supplied to many famous pharmaceutical companies at home and abroad, with excellent quality.
2. Summary
Folic acid is divided into feed grade, food grade, and pharmaceutical grade.
The main manufacturers of vitamin b9 in China are Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., Ltd, Changzhou Xinhong Pharmaceutical & Chemical Industrial Technologies Inc., Jiangxi Tianxin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd, Anhui Tiger Biotech Co. Ltd, Xinfa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, and Hebei Jiheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
