Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid, as an integral component of Vitamin C, is an excellent antioxidant. The nutritional ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, stocks ascorbic acid for use in several industries, including food, reagent, nutrition, personal care, and as a USP ingredient.  

  • Vitamin C contains ascorbic acid along with several other trace minerals and compounds that work together to keep the body healthy. Within the vitamin, ascorbic acid acts as the antioxidant portion, enabling the function of the vitamin to occur in the presence of oxygen. Because oxygen is detrimental to many functions in the body, ascorbic acid, acting as an antioxidant, protects the functions by staving off oxygen.

  • Along with countering bacteria in the human body, ascorbic acid also acts as a building block for collagen. Collagen is an abundant protein that offers structural support to bones, tissue, skin, teeth, and tiny capillaries as it aids in healing wounds. 

  • Ascorbic acid binds with heavy metals in the body, safely eliminating them.

  • Excess heat and boiling water break Vitamin C apart and diminish its activities. The protective nature of ascorbic acid replenishes the lost Vitamin C content.

  • The tangy flavor of ascorbic acid is what we associate with citrus drinks. Ascorbic acid is often added to fruit juices, dried fruit, candied fruit, and fruit juices as a flavor enhancer. 

  • Because ascorbic acid has a low pH, it is often an ingredient in foods with short shelf lives, such as breads and pastries, jams and jellies, and cured meats and cold cuts. Microorganisms generally do not thrive in low pH conditions, so ascorbic acid preserves foods from spoiling while it retains the original color of the food.

  • Used in photography as a developing agent, ascorbic acid is environmentally friendly and produces negatives with sharp, fine-grain, high-image quality.

  • The acidic properties of ascorbic acid catalyze chemical reactions during the manufacture of plastic.

  • Water treatment plants add ascorbic acid to sterilized potable water to eliminate the taste of iodine.

  • Researchers have found ascorbic acid enhances the ability of microscopic cells to fluoresce, making it simpler for scientists studying the behavior of cells to delve deeper into the microscopic world of cells.

Bell Chem is the nutritional ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products — such as ascorbic acid — stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.


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