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Non-GMO Project Verified · CAS 6132-04-3 · E331

Sodium Citrate Dihydrate Bulk Supplier of Trisodium Citrate

Captain Drake supplies sodium citrate dihydrate trisodium citrate, CAS 6132-04-3, E331 in FCC and USP grades, Non-GMO Project Verified and produced from non-GMO cane sugar and tapioca feedstock in Thailand and Colombia. Available as granular and fine granular in 50 lb bags, 25 kg bags and 2,250 lb tote sacks, LTL through full truckloads of 42,500 lbs, from 12 US warehouses.

Bulk trisodium citrate dihydrate in a 50 lb bag from Captain Drake
CAS No.
6132-04-3
E-Number
E331
Grades
FCC · USP
Min. order
2,250 lb
Truckload
42,500 lb

Start Here

What Is Sodium Citrate Dihydrate?

It is the sodium salt of citric acid carrying two water molecules of crystallisation CAS 6132-04-3, E331. It appears on specifications and certificates under several names that all describe the same material: trisodium citrate dihydrate, tri sodium citrate dihydrate, sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate, or simply sodium citrate.

That ambiguity matters. Three sodium salts of citric acid exist, so a specification reading only “sodium citrate” has not actually specified anything. Written without qualification, it almost always means the trisodium dihydrate form below.

The sodium citrates — which one your specification means
Name CAS E-number Common use
Trisodium citrate dihydrate (this product) 6132-04-3 E331(iii) The default. Buffering, emulsification, sequestration
Trisodium citrate anhydrous 68-04-2 E331(iii) Where bound water must be avoided
Disodium citrate 144-33-2 E331(ii) Specialist buffering systems
Monosodium citrate 18996-35-5 E331(i) Acidic buffering, effervescent formats
If your specification does not state which one, send it to us and we will tell you which form it implies before you order. Getting this wrong is the most common sourcing error on this ingredient.
Diagram of the sodium citrate family showing monosodium, disodium and trisodium citrate with CAS numbers

Technical Data

Sodium Citrate Dihydrate Specification, Formula and Molecular Weight

The chemical formula for sodium citrate dihydrate is Na3C6H5O7·2H2O and its molecular weight is 294.10 g/mol. The anhydrous form is 258.07 g/mol — an 8.5% difference that matters when you are dosing by weight.

Trisodium citrate dihydrate — technical specification
Chemical nameTrisodium Citrate Dihydrate
SynonymsSodium citrate, sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate, tri sodium citrate dihydrate
CAS number6132-04-3
EINECS200-675-3
E-NumberE331 (E331iii)
Molecular formulaNa3C6H5O7·2H2O
Molecular weight294.10 g/mol
Grades availableFCC, USP, Food Grade
Assay99.0 – 100.5% (dried basis)
AppearanceWhite granular crystals or crystalline powder
Particle sizesGranular, Fine Granular
SolubilityFreely soluble in water; practically insoluble in ethanol
pH (5% solution)7.5 – 9.0
FeedstockNon-GMO cane sugar / non-GMO tapioca starch
Country of originThailand, Colombia
Shelf life36 months in unopened original packaging
CertificationsNon-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Halal, ISO 9001 / 14001 / 22000
 

Bulk Supply

Sodium Citrate for Sale Bulk Supply and Purchasing

Sodium citrate bulk quantities are sold by the pallet and the truckload. Our minimum is one pallet 2,250 lbs — and a full truckload is 42,500 lbs. If your sodium citrate purchase is for a production line rather than a pilot batch, that is the range we quote in.
Captain Drake is a sodium citrate supplier, distributor and importer — not a producer. Sodium citrate manufacturers run the fermentation and neutralisation plants overseas; we carry US inventory, hold the documentation and handle the import. Buying direct from a producer means container-load minimums and 8–12 week ocean lead times. Buying from us means pallet quantities out of US stock with a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis on arrival.

What sodium citrate costs in bulk

Price moves with grade (FCC or USP), particle size, volume tier, pack format, and whether the material must be Non-GMO Project Verified. Verified non-GMO material carries a premium over commodity corn-derived material because it has to be imported. We quote landed and delivered to your plant, and return quotes within one business day.

Sodium citrate order tiers
Tier Quantity Typical buyer
LTL — one pallet 2,250 lbs Pilot runs and contract manufacturers
Multi-pallet LTL 2,250 – 20,000 lbs Mid-size plants, seasonal production
Full truckload 42,500 lbs Continuous lines — lowest landed cost per pound
Annual contract By agreement Released JIT against a production schedule
Available pack formats
Pack format Unit weight Typical application
50 lb multi-wall paper bag 50 lbs Standard plant intake, manual charging
25 kg bag 55 lbs Metric specification programs
2,250 lb tote sack (FIBC) 2,250 lbs High-volume continuous lines
Poly-lined 50 lb box 50 lbs Fine granular, moisture protection
Request a sodium citrate quote →

Function

Sodium Citrate Uses in Food Manufacturing

There are four main uses for sodium citrate in food, and which one you need decides the grade and particle size your specification should call for. Sodium citrate in food is almost always doing one of these jobs:

1. Buffering and pH control

It holds pH steady as a formulation shifts. Paired with citric acid it forms a citrate buffer system — the most widely used buffer in food and beverage manufacturing, because both halves are already approved, cheap and flavour-neutral at working concentrations.

2. Emulsification in dairy systems

In processed cheese and cultured dairy, it sequesters calcium from casein, which lets protein and fat stay in a stable emulsion instead of separating under heat. This is why it appears on almost every processed-cheese ingredient list.

3. Sequestration and metal chelation

It binds trace metal ions that catalyse oxidation and cause off-flavours, colour drift and rancidity. In beverages and oils that translates directly into shelf life.

4. Sodium delivery without saltiness

It contributes sodium in electrolyte, sports-nutrition and clinical-nutrition formats without the sharp saline note that sodium chloride brings.

Primary industries: beverage and functional drinks, processed and cultured dairy, nutraceuticals and clinical nutrition, prepared foods and sauces, pet food, and pharmaceutical formulation.

 

Straight Answer

Is Sodium Citrate Natural? Safety and Sourcing

It is made by neutralising citric acid with a sodium source. Since the citric acid itself comes from fermenting sugar, the citrate is a fermentation-derived ingredient rather than a petrochemical one — which is what most people are actually asking when they ask whether it is natural. Whether it can be labelled natural depends on your jurisdiction and your own labelling counsel, not on us.

On sodium citrate safety: it is Generally Recognized as Safe under FDA regulation and is an approved food additive across major markets under E331. It has no ADI limit specified by JECFA, which is the regulatory way of saying no numerical intake ceiling was considered necessary. Our material is supplied to FCC or USP specification with a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis.

The claim that matters commercially is the non-GMO one, and that comes down to feedstock — which is the next section.

Sourcing Reality

Why Non-GMO Sodium Citrate Has to Be Imported

It is made from citric acid, so its non-GMO status is inherited from the acid it started as. That is the whole story.

All three citric acid producers operating in the United States — Cargill, ADM and Primient — ferment corn, and the overwhelming majority of US corn is genetically modified. Citrate made from that acid cannot carry Non-GMO Project verification, no matter who neutralises it or where.

Ours traces back to citric acid fermented from non-GMO cane sugar and non-GMO tapioca starch in Thailand and Colombia. We then hold US inventory across 12 warehouses, so your plant gets domestic lead times on material that can only originate overseas.

Qualification Pack

Sodium Citrate SDS, Specification and Certificate of Analysis

Supplier approval stalls on missing paperwork more often than on price. The current SDS, the product specification and a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis are available on request, and the full pack ships with every order. If your QA system still asks for an MSDS, the SDS we send is the current GHS-format equivalent.

Buyer Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sodium citrate dihydrate?

The dihydrate is the trisodium salt of citric acid carrying two molecules of water of crystallisation, CAS 6132-04-3, E331. A white granular crystal or crystalline powder, freely soluble in water, used for buffering, emulsification, sequestration and sodium delivery. This is the form most specifications mean when they say simply “sodium citrate.
The chemical formula for sodium citrate dihydrate is Na3C6H5O7·2H2O. The sodium citrate dihydrate molecular weight is 294.10 g/mol. The anhydrous form, CAS 68-04-2, is 258.07 g/mol. The 8.5% difference comes entirely from the two water molecules, which matters when you are dosing by weight.
In practice, none “sodium citrate” is normally shorthand for trisodium citrate. Strictly, three sodium salts of citric acid exist: monosodium citrate (E331i), disodium citrate (E331ii) and trisodium citrate (E331iii). The trisodium dihydrate is the commercial default and is what we supply. If a specification says only “sodium citrate,” send it over and we will confirm which form it implies.
It is produced by neutralising citric acid with a sodium source, and that acid comes from fermenting sugar — so it is a fermentation-derived ingredient rather than a petrochemical one. Whether it may be labelled “natural” depends on your jurisdiction and your labelling counsel. What we can document is the feedstock: non-GMO cane sugar and tapioca starch.
Sodium citrate is Generally Recognized as Safe under FDA regulation and approved as a food additive across major markets under E331. JECFA specifies no numerical ADI, meaning no intake ceiling was considered necessary. Our material meets FCC or USP specification and ships with a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis.
Direct from us. The minimum is one pallet 2,250 lbs on an LTL basis, and a full truckload is 42,500 lbs. Send the grade, particle size, pack format and annual volume and we return a quote within one business day, delivered from one of 12 US warehouses.
Four functions: buffering and pH control, emulsification in processed and cultured dairy, sequestration of trace metals that cause oxidation, and sodium delivery without a saline taste. It is most common in beverages, processed cheese, prepared foods, nutraceuticals and clinical nutrition.
A distributor and importer, not a producer. The material is made by partner manufacturers in Thailand and Colombia; we handle import, warehousing, documentation and delivery from 12 US locations. That gives you pallet-level minimums out of US stock instead of container-load minimums and 8–12 week ocean lead times.
Yes. Verification applies to the specific enrolled product, so we supply the current certificate covering the exact grade and source you are buying, including any conditions attached. Because the citrate is made from citric acid, its non-GMO status is inherited from the feedstock — and no US-produced citric acid qualifies, since all domestic production ferments corn.

Yes. Most customers contract annually, with RFQs issued in September and October for the following calendar year. Send your products, annual volumes, grades and documentation requirements and we will return a complete RFQ response.

Related Ingredients

ORGANIC · NON-GMO

Organic Cane Sugar

The sodium equivalent — same functions, lower cost, where sodium load is not a constraint.

CAS 77-92-9 · E330

Citric Acid Anhydrous

The same feedstock question, the same answer. Commonly paired in beverage systems.

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