Sodium gluconate

Production:
– Sodium Gluconate produced via fermentation or chemical synthesis.
– Fermentation process involves glucose fermentation by microorganisms like Aspergillus niger.
– Gluconic acid derived from fermentation serves as precursor.
– Conversion to Sodium Gluconate involves neutralizing gluconic acid with sodium hydroxide.
– Purification includes filtration and chemical treatments, followed by crystallization and drying.

Applications:
– Early use in medicine, expanded to food, pharmaceuticals, construction, textiles, and more.
– Food Industry: Acts as a sequestrant to maintain food stability.
– Construction: Used as a concrete admixture to enhance performance.
– Textiles: Utilized as a chelating agent to improve color fastness.
– Metallurgy: Employed for metal surface treatment and cleaning.

Safety and Regulation:
– Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by regulatory authorities.
– Considered non-toxic and safe for consumption in food and pharmaceuticals.

Environmental Impact:
– Known for biodegradability, breaking down naturally in the environment.
– Considered environmentally friendly.

References:
– Chemistry id sis.nlm.nih.gov (dead link).
– Sodium Gluconate (Chelating Agent): Cosmetic Ingredient INCI.
– Papagianni, M. Comprehensive Biotechnology. Academic Press.
– Sodium Gluconate Santos.com December 2021.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_gluconate