Amino acids and derivatives

The largest volumes go into animal feed (lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, valine) and food (glutamate, glycine). Pharmaceutical grades are used in infusion solutions and clinical nutrition, cell culture media need high purity grades, and cosmetics use amino acids as moisturisers. Most L-amino acids are made by microbial fermentation, while methionine and glycine are produced mainly by chemical synthesis.

Ask for the grade, assay, specific rotation as a check on optical purity, loss on drying, heavy metals, ammonium and related amino acids, and for pharmaceutical grades compliance with the USP, Ph. Eur. or JP monograph. For feed grades, compare prices on the content of the active amino acid. Certificates of non-animal origin, halal and kosher are common requests. Amino acids fall under HS heading 2922 or other chapter 29 headings depending on structure.