Fumaric acid

Fumaric acid (CAS 110-17-8), also designated E297, is a naturally occurring organic acid used commercially as an acidulant, pH regulator, and preservative across food and personal care manufacturing. Its low cost relative to citric and tartaric acid, combined with high acidity efficiency at low use levels, makes it a practical choice for formulators managing both performance and input costs.

In food and beverage production, fumaric acid acidulates baked goods, fruit-flavored drinks, and gelatin desserts, delivering a tart, clean flavor profile at lower inclusion rates than competing acids. It functions as a leavening acid in dry baking mixes, reacting with sodium bicarbonate to control gas release and improve texture consistency. This ensures a reliable result in large-scale production.

Personal care formulators use it to adjust pH in rinse-off products and topical formulations where buffering stability across varying temperatures is a priority. It is highly valued for its stability. It also acts as a preservative aid in certain food systems, inhibiting microbial growth and extending shelf life in dry and semi-moist applications. This helps maintain product safety over time.

Fumaric acid is supplied as a white crystalline powder in standard granulations suited to both direct blending and dissolution processes. It is easy to handle in most industrial environments. Food-grade material conforming to FCC specifications is the predominant commercial form. Technical-grade material is available for non-food industrial applications requiring less purity.