Sodium acetate

Sodium acetate (CAS 127-09-3), also designated E262i in food applications, is an inorganic acetate salt used in food, pharmaceutical, and personal care manufacturing.

Where is Sodium acetate used?

• Food: pH buffer, acidulant, and preservative in aqueous formulations and dry processing systems
• Food production: extends shelf life in baked goods, snack seasonings, and condiments by controlling acidity and inhibiting microbial growth
• Used as a preservative for processed meats, typically at inclusion levels of 0.2% to 0.5%.
• Used in salad dressings and ready meals.
• Pharmaceutical: buffers parenteral solutions, tablet coatings, and topical formulations
• Used for electrolyte replacement in parenteral nutrition.
• Personal care: adjusts pH in creams, lotions, and hair care products
• Industrial: catalyst in synthesis processes and buffering agent in textile dyeing and effluent treatment
• Used in nucleic acid purification and precipitation.
• It is supplied in anhydrous powder form and as trihydrate crystalline granules.

Good to know: The anhydrous grade is generally preferred where moisture sensitivity is a primary concern. Standard grades include FCC food-grade, USP/BP for pharmaceutical use, and technical grade for industrial applications.

Formulation notes

• Reacts violently with strong oxidants.
• Store separately from strong acids and strong oxidants.
• Decomposes on heating and on contact with strong acids, producing acetic acid fumes.

Typical specification

• Sodium (Na) content is 25.5-30.5%.
• Total metal impurities are ≤0.003% (30 ppm).
• Well soluble in water but does not dissolve in organic solvents such as ethanol.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Should be stored in normal, cool, dry, approved packaging and warehouse conditions at +5 to +30 °C.
• Anhydrous technical grade is packaged in industrial-grade, moisture-resistant containers.

Frequently asked questions about Sodium acetate

In what pH range does sodium acetate act as a buffer?

It is used as a buffer in the pH range 3.6-5.6.

In what form can sodium acetate be added to food under E262?

It can be added to food as E262, sometimes in the form of sodium diacetate, a one-to-one complex of sodium acetate and acetic acid.

What role does sodium acetate play in wastewater treatment?

In wastewater treatment it acts as a carbon source for microorganisms that remove nitrogen and phosphorus in biological treatment plants.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.