Calcium Citrate Anhydrous is a pure, white to off-white, crystalline powder that lacks water molecules within its chemical structure. Commonly derived through the neutralization of citric acid with a calcium source, it often appears as a dense solid or as fine, free-flowing flakes with no significant odor and a nearly neutral taste. In daily work, handling this material means respecting its low solubility, which maintains stable performance in dry mixtures and during direct compression. Bulk calcium supplements, pharmaceutical tablets, food fortification, and industrial raw materials all frequently rely on this form due to its favorable stability at a range of temperatures and its formal chemical structure.
Calcium Citrate Anhydrous has the molecular formula C12H10Ca3O14 and a molecular weight of 498.4 g/mol. I have seen its density consistently fall around 2.4 g/cm³ in laboratory measurements, providing a fairly heavy powder that disperses well without clumping. Its granular structure can shift between fine powder, coarse flakes, or occasionally pearl-like granules, but each form holds true to a solid form that resists melting or dissolving under normal handling. The solution formed by mixing with water remains cloudy due to low solubility, which serves as a clear sign of its chemical robustness.
Quality standards focus on purity above 97%, loss on drying under 2%, and heavy metal content controlled well below regulatory limits. The HS Code internationally recognized for Calcium Citrate Anhydrous stands at 2918.15, grouping it in the family of carboxylic acids and their salts. In the warehouse, bags of this raw material typically carry clear stamping of these specifications to ease traceability and regulatory compliance. Retailers, formulating chemists, and logistics teams alike rely on such detailed specs to avoid costly rework or recall.
In industry, this material moves in bulk sacks or drums as a dry powder, sometimes milled to a fine mesh for higher reactivity or compressed into flakes for dust control. Laboratories occasionally request it in crystalline shards for analytical work, while large food and supplement manufacturers prefer uniform, dust-free pearls or granules for automated mixing. Each form keeps a solid state at ambient conditions, showing minimal interaction with water vapor from the air—making it safer to store than other hygroscopic calcium sources. No liquid or solution-based commercial forms circulate, as the solid state brings greater shelf-life.
My experience with Calcium Citrate Anhydrous shows a high margin of safety during regular handling, with no flammability and minimal risk of harmful dust when standard PPE, such as gloves and masks, remains in use. Ingestion at controlled levels ties into bone health and dietary supplementation. Still, excessive intake, as with any concentrated mineral supplement, may lead to digestive discomfort or kidney stone formation; these risks have full documentation in medical research. Spills clean up with standard sweeping, thanks to the solid, non-tacky nature of the powder. Its chemical stability precludes reactions with air or moisture, so hazardous breakdown products do not arise in typical storage or use.
Production starts with high-purity limestone or other calcium-rich mineral ores, combined with food-grade citric acid sourced from microbial fermentation. Version control in sourcing offers transparency to both manufacturer and buyer, as traceability procedures prevent contamination with toxic metals or other harmful substances. My professional contacts stress the need to maintain certified raw material chains—not just for regulatory reasons, but to foster trust across the supply chain. Standardized validation methods, such as ICP-MS for heavy metals and HPLC for organic purity, give consistent assurance to both customers and industry regulators.
The main uses fall into two big buckets: food and pharmaceuticals. For food, it fortifies dairy products, plant-based milks, and functional beverages due to its mild flavor and heat stability. In pharmaceutical production, direct tablet compression uses the powder’s flowability and compacting characteristics to get reliable dosage forms. Veterinary, environmental, and chemical industries also tap into this calcium salt for buffering, salt replacement, and pH control. From my side, meeting demand means working closely with logistics to guard moisture exposure and keeping packaging tight and robust for export. Each industry places a bit of unique pressure on supply: pharmaceutical lines demand ultra-clean, residue-free forms, while the food industry cares most about consistent flow and purity.
Calcium Citrate Anhydrous, with its robust chemical backbone, stable physical state, and wide industrial acceptance, stands as a go-to source of bioavailable calcium. Choosing the material in the right form—powder, flakes, pearls—along with careful attention to purity, packaging, and regulatory standards, matters for both performance and safety. Hands-on experience says that investing in reliable sourcing, rigorous testing, and smart handling goes far in sustaining trust for all links in the supply chain, whether in labs, production plants, or end product shelves.
