D-Calcium Pantothenate Grades: Specifications, Forms & Handling

D-Calcium Pantothenate grades used across food, feed and cosmetic manufacturing typically fall into food/pharmacopoeial grade (meeting USP or FCC monographs), feed grade, and cosmetic grade — the difference lies mainly in assay tolerance, particle size, and the documentation package supplied rather than in the core chemistry. D-Calcium Pantothenate is the calcium salt of D-pantothenic acid, commonly known as Vitamin B5, and it is manufactured for use as a nutrient source in premixes, formulations and finished products rather than as a standalone consumer item.

What D-Calcium Pantothenate Is

D-Calcium Pantothenate (CAS 137-08-6) is a white to off-white, fine crystalline powder, essentially odorless with a mildly bitter taste. It is the biologically active D-isomer form combined with calcium to improve stability and handling compared with free pantothenic acid, which is hygroscopic and difficult to process in its pure acid form. Only the D-isomer is used commercially in nutrition applications; the DL-racemic form has limited practical relevance and is not the material typically stocked for food, feed or supplement manufacturing.

Grades and Standards

Buyers sourcing D-Calcium Pantothenate should specify the grade against the monograph or standard relevant to the end use. Food and pharmaceutical-grade material is commonly referenced against USP or FCC (Food Chemicals Codex) monographs, which define assay range, loss on drying, heavy metals and microbiological limits. Feed-grade material follows the same core chemistry but is typically supplied against feed-industry specifications with looser cosmetic tolerances on particle appearance. Cosmetic-grade material is used as a formulation ingredient in personal care products and is specified primarily on assay and heavy-metal limits rather than a single universal cosmetic monograph.

Physical Form and Packaging

D-Calcium Pantothenate is supplied as a dry crystalline powder, most commonly packed in 25kg fiber drums or multi-wall paper bags with a polyethylene inner liner to limit moisture ingress. Because the material is hygroscopic, packaging integrity during storage and after opening matters more than for many other powdered nutrients — partially used bags should be resealed promptly and stored away from humid conditions.

Applications by Industry

In food and beverage manufacturing, D-Calcium Pantothenate is used as a nutrient source in vitamin premixes, fortified cereals, beverages and infant nutrition formulations. In animal nutrition, it is a standard component of vitamin premixes for poultry, swine, ruminant and aquaculture feed, where inclusion levels are set according to species-specific nutrient requirement tables rather than a single fixed dose. In cosmetics and personal care, it functions as a formulation ingredient in skin and hair care products, valued for its role as a humectant-compatible component within finished formulations; any claims about finished-product effects fall to the finished-good manufacturer and formulation, not to the raw material itself.

Formulation and Processing Notes

D-Calcium Pantothenate is freely soluble in water, with aqueous solubility around 35 g/100 mL at room temperature, and it is only slightly soluble in alcohols. Solution stability is best in the neutral to mildly alkaline pH range; the compound is prone to hydrolysis under strongly acidic or strongly alkaline conditions, and stability decreases with combined heat and moisture exposure. In feed pelleting and extrusion processes where high heat is applied, formulators often account for expected potency loss or apply the vitamin post-processing via coating or top-dressing to preserve activity. In premix blending, D-Calcium Pantothenate is generally compatible with other B-vitamins and minerals, though direct prolonged contact with strongly oxidizing trace minerals in humid conditions can accelerate degradation, which is why premix design and packaging barrier selection matter as much as the raw material spec.

Handling and Storage

Store D-Calcium Pantothenate in a cool, dry area, protected from direct sunlight and humidity, in tightly resealed original packaging. Recommended storage temperatures are typically below 30°C, avoiding proximity to heat sources or condensation-prone areas. As with most fine powders, standard industrial hygiene practices (dust control, PPE for prolonged handling) apply during transfer and weighing operations.

QA Documentation to Request

Buyers should request a Certificate of Analysis (COA) confirming assay, loss on drying, heavy metals and microbiological results against the agreed specification (USP/FCC or feed-grade spec as applicable), a full technical spec sheet, and lot-level traceability documentation. For food, infant nutrition or pharmaceutical-adjacent uses, Halal and Kosher certification is commonly available and frequently requested in Southeast Asian supply chains; buyers should confirm current certificate validity directly with the supplier for the specific lot being purchased.

Sourcing Considerations

D-Calcium Pantothenate is produced through chemical synthesis, and global production capacity for the D-isomer active ingredient is concentrated among a limited number of specialized manufacturers. Buyers evaluating alternate origins should verify that the D-isomer purity, not just total pantothenate content, is confirmed on the COA, since finished potency in nutrition applications depends on the biologically active D-form rather than total assay alone.

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