Cyanocobalamin
Description
Cyanocobalamin (CAS 68-19-9), commonly known as Vitamin B12, is the synthetic, stable form of cobalamin used across food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic manufacturing. It functions as a bioactive nutrient supplement.
This ingredient enables producers to fortify finished products with a measurable, shelf-stable B12 source. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, it is the active ingredient in injectable formulations, oral tablets, and sublingual preparations.
Food and beverage producers use it to fortify plant-based milks, breakfast cereals, and nutritional supplements. These are categories where B12 is often absent from natural ingredients, making fortification essential for consumers.
In clinical nutrition, it is incorporated into enteral and parenteral nutrition products. Precise dosing and stability under various processing conditions are critical factors for these specialized medical applications.
Cosmetic formulators add it to serums and hair care products positioned around scalp health and skin radiance claims. It is supplied as a fine crystalline powder, typically in diluted trituration blends at concentrations of 0.1% or 1%.
These blends use carriers such as mannitol or starch, allowing accurate dosing at low inclusion rates. Pure form is available for specialized applications requiring high potency and minimal additives.
Recognized grades include USP, BP, and Ph. Eur., ensuring high purity for pharmaceutical use. Food-grade material meets FCC specifications for use in fortified consumer products.
Physical Properties
| Melting Point | >300 °C |
| Boiling Point | >300 °C |
| Flash Point | 9°C |
| Appearance | Crystalline |
| Color | Red to dark red |
| Odor | dark red cryst. or powd., odorless and tasteless |
| Form | Crystalline Powder or Crystals |
| Water Solubility | Soluble |
| pH | 6.0 (20°C, 1g/L in H2O) |
| Log P | 3.570 (est) |
Trade & Regulatory
| HS Code | 29362600 |
| Storage Class | 11 - Combustible Solids |
| WGK (Germany) | 1 |
Documentation
Other Names
Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin|Cobalamin|cobalt(3+);[(2R,3S,5S)-5-(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazol-1-yl)-4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-3-yl] [(2R)-1-[3-[(1R,2R,3R,4Z,7S,9Z,12S,13S,14Z,17S,18S,19R)-2,13,18-tris(2-amino-2-oxoethyl)-7,12,17-tris(3-amino-3-oxopropyl)-3,5,8,8,13,15,18,19-octamethyl-2,7,12,17-tetrahydro-1H-corrin-21-id-3-yl]propanoylamino]propan-2-yl] phosphate;cyanide|Vitamin B12
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