Sodium Ascorbate

About Sodium Ascorbate

Sodium ascorbate is an organic sodium salt resulting from the replacement of the proton from the 3-hydroxy group of ascorbic acid by a sodium ion. It has a role as a food antioxidant, a flour treatment agent, a coenzyme, a plant metabolite, a human metabolite, a Daphnia magna metabolite and a reducing agent.

The molecular formula of this chemical compound is C₆H₇NaO₆. As the sodium salt of ascorbic acid, it is known as a mineral ascorbate. It has not been demonstrated to be more bioavailable than any other form of vitamin C supplement. As a food additive, it has the E number E301 and is used as an antioxidant and an acidity regulator. It is approved for use as a food additive in the EU, USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

In in vitro studies, sodium ascorbate has been found to produce cytotoxic effects in various malignant cell lines, which include melanoma cells that are particularly susceptible.

Sodium ascorbate is produced by dissolving ascorbic acid in water and adding an equivalent amount of sodium bicarbonate in water. After cessation of effervescence, the sodium ascorbate is precipitated by the addition of isopropanol.

A six-carbon compound related to glucose. It is found naturally in citrus fruits and many vegetables. Ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient in human diets, and necessary to maintain connective tissue and bone. Its biologically active form, vitamin C, functions as a reducing agent and coenzyme in several metabolic pathways. Vitamin C is considered an antioxidant. Sodium ascorbates are used as antoxidants in pharmaceutical manufacturing and in the food industry.