Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid is one form of vitamin C.Ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring organic compound with antioxidant properties.The discovery of an essential disease-preventing compound in foods that was distinct from the one that prevented Beriberi was made in 1907.This was the last of the compound from animal sources.In honor of the compound's antiscorbutic properties, Haworth and Szent-Gyrgyi now proposed the new name of "a-scorbic acid" for the molecule, with L-ascorbic acid as its formal chemical name.
However, being a good electron donor, excess ascorbate in the presence of free metal ions can not only promote, but also initiate free radical reactions, thus making it a potentially dangerous pro-oxidative compound in certain metabolic contexts.Ascorbic acid, a reductone, behaves as a vinylogous carboxylic acid where the electrons in the double bond, hydroxyl group lone pair, and the carbonyl double bond form a conjugated system.Ascorbic acid and its sodium, potassium, and calcium salts are commonly used as antioxidant food additives.
Ascorbic acid is found in plants, animals, and single-cell organisms where it is produced from glucose.Humans, some other primates, and guinea pigs are not able to make L-gulonolactone oxidase because of a genetic mutation and are therefore unable to make ascorbic acid.Ascorbic acid as food additives is synthesized from glucose through a five-step process.The unprotected hydroxyl group is chemically oxidized to the carboxylic acid by reaction with sodium hypochlorite.
Using iodine and a starch indicator, iodine reacts with ascorbic acid, and, when all the ascorbic acid has reacted, the iodine is then in excess, forming a blue-black complex with the starch indicator. This indicates the end-point of the titration. As an alternative, ascorbic acid can be treated with iodine in excess, followed by back titration with sodium thiosulfate using starch as an indicator.Quite unexpectedly, guinea pigs proved to be susceptible to scurvy when fed a diet similar to that of sailors who developed scurvy, and the food-factor of unknown chemical nature that guinea pigs required, was eventually called vitamin C.

Other products: Ascorbic Acid Coated                   barley green powder                     Calcium Ascorbate