What Is Magnesium Stearate Made Of?
Magnesium stearate is a white soapy powder. It is solid at room temperature. Magnesium stearate is insoluble in water and melts about 88 degrees F. It is safe for human consumption and is used as filling agent in food supplements. Magnesium Salt Magnesium stearate is a magnesium salt of stearic acid that has two equivalents of stearate, the anion of stearic acid and one magnesium cation. It is also known as magnesium salt and octadecanoic acid. Synthesis Previously stearic acid was the main source of magnesium stearate. But it is mostly obtained from another plant source, palm oil. Magnesium stearate is also prepared commercially from pork and animal sources. Magnesium Content Magnesium stearate is basically a magnesium salt of fatty acid, but it does not contain trans fat. It is one of the most important forms of mineral magnesium. In general, it contains not less than 6.8 percent of pure magnesium. Palmitic Acid Content Magnesium stearate is also a mixture of pure palmitic acid and s
