ALUMINUM MYRISTATE

CAS: 4040-50-0 ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID

Aluminum myristate is a metal salt of myristic acid used for anticaking and emulsifying purposes in food processing, listed under US FDA 21 CFR 172.863 for salts of fatty acids. It is recognized internationally as part of salts of fatty acids (INS 470) with no ADI allocated by JECFA.

What It Is

Aluminum myristate is a chemical compound formed by the aluminum salt of myristic acid, identified by CAS number 4040‑50‑0. It belongs to a class of additives known as salts of fatty acids, which serve several roles in food formulations, including reducing clumping and aiding in the mixing of ingredients. Other names used for this ingredient include aluminum myristate myristic acid, aluminum salt tetradecanoic acid, and aluminum salt aluminum tetradecanoate. In regulatory inventories such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Substances Added to Food list, aluminum myristate is recorded with technical functions as an anticaking agent or free‑flow agent, an emulsifier or emulsifier salt, and a formulation aid under 21 CFR 172.863 for salts of fatty acids. This identifies it as an intentionally added substance that alters the physical behavior of food components during processing or storage. The additive is part of a broader category of metal salts of fatty acids that share similar technological functions. The classification of aluminum myristate as a food additive reflects its recognized utility in food science for maintaining product texture and consistency. It is distinct from the free fatty acid myristic acid alone and requires specifications appropriate for additive use to ensure consistent performance and safety in food production.

How It Is Made

Aluminum myristate is typically prepared by reacting myristic acid, a saturated fatty acid, with an aluminum source under controlled conditions to form the aluminum salt of the acid. Myristic acid itself can be sourced from hydrolyzed fats and oils or through chemical synthesis, and it is neutralized with an aluminum compound to produce the corresponding aluminum salt. The final product is purified to meet food additive specifications that control the content of the active ingredient and limit impurities. The manufacturing process emphasizes control of reaction conditions such as temperature and pH to ensure the formation of a stable salt compound with consistent physicochemical properties. After synthesis, the product undergoes separation of solids from the reaction medium, washing to remove unreacted materials, and drying to yield a powder suitable for use in food formulations. Commercial producers often adhere to good manufacturing practices (GMP) to ensure purity and minimize contaminants. Although detailed proprietary methods vary by supplier, the general process focuses on producing a stable, uniform aluminum myristate that complies with purity requirements for its permitted use as a food additive under regulatory frameworks such as the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. Specifications aim to ensure the additive’s functional efficacy while minimizing potential sources of variability in food applications.

Why It Is Used In Food

Aluminum myristate is used in food primarily for its technological benefits rather than for nutritional value. As an anticaking agent, it helps prevent powders and granular materials from agglomerating, which can improve free flow in dry mixes and spices. This is particularly valuable in products that are stored for extended periods or exposed to fluctuating humidity during processing or packaging. In addition to anticaking, aluminum myristate can act as an emulsifier or emulsifier salt, helping to stabilize mixtures of oil and water that would otherwise separate. This function supports uniform texture and appearance in finished products. As a formulation aid, the compound assists manufacturers in achieving targeted physical properties such as viscosity and consistency without significantly altering flavor or color. These functions align with common processing challenges in the food industry, where maintaining stable, free‑flowing powders and homogenous mixtures can affect manufacturing efficiency, shelf life, and consumer experience. By enabling improved handling and stability, aluminum myristate supports consistent product quality in diverse applications.

Adi Example Calculation

Because aluminum myristate has no numerical ADI allocated by JECFA, an illustrative calculation using a specific mg/kg bw/day value cannot be provided. Instead, regulatory evaluations emphasize that typical uses are not expected to result in intake levels presenting safety concerns. For context, when a food additive has an ADI, regulators might illustrate how a hypothetical adult body weight (for example 60 kg) multiplies by the ADI to estimate a daily intake threshold. In the absence of a numerical ADI, this type of calculation is not applicable. The key takeaway is that regulatory assessments consider exposure relative to safety data and do not identify numerical intake limits for aluminum myristate, implying that authorized uses are managed within established safety frameworks.

Safety And Health Research

Regulatory bodies assess substances like aluminum myristate primarily on their potential toxicity and exposure levels in food. JECFA’s evaluation of metal salts of myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids did not allocate a numerical ADI, indicating that these substances were not considered to present safety concerns at the levels expected from typical food use. This assessment reflects available toxicological and exposure data at the time of evaluation and the understanding that the fatty acid components are metabolized similarly to dietary fats.(世界卫生组织) Scientific assessments, such as the EFSA re‑evaluation of salts of fatty acids, have similarly concluded that sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium salts do not pose safety concerns when used within authorized levels, although specific data for aluminum myristate itself may be limited. These group‑based evaluations acknowledge limited toxicology data but rely on metabolic considerations and exposure estimates.(世界卫生组织)(EFSA Online Library) Ongoing research and regulatory reviews may continue to consider new evidence on metabolic fate, potential bioavailability of the aluminum moiety, and long‑term exposure, but current authoritative assessments do not indicate adverse effects linked to aluminum myristate when used as permitted. Safety evaluations for food additives emphasize hazard identification, toxicological study data, and dietary exposure assessment, ensuring that authorized use supports consumer protection.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

In the United States, aluminum myristate appears in the FDA’s Substances Added to Food database under 21 CFR 172.863, which covers salts of fatty acids permitted as multipurpose additives, indicating it is recognized for use with specified technological functions. Inclusion in this regulation framework means that its use must conform to prescribed conditions and purity criteria appropriate for direct addition to food. The regulation reference 172.863 reflects its permitted status as part of the broader category of fatty acid salts used in food processing.(世界卫生组织) At the international level, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated aluminum myristate and related metal salts of myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids. JECFA classifies these salts, collectively associated with INS 470, as food additives with functional classes including anticaking and emulsifying agents and assigned no specific ADI, reflecting no safety concern requiring numerical allocation. This status indicates that within the scope of the JECFA evaluation, there were no limitations necessary on intake for these compounds under typical usage conditions.(世界卫生组织) In the European Union, regulatory frameworks for food additives categorize salts of fatty acids such as those grouped under E 470a/b, for which authoritative evaluations have concluded that group members are generally of no safety concern at reported uses and use levels, although detailed evaluations focus on groupings of fatty acid salts rather than each individual derivative. Regulatory status in the EU may vary and depends on compliance with Annex II and III of the relevant food additive regulations.(世界卫生组织)(EFSA Online Library

Taste And Functional Properties

Aluminum myristate itself does not contribute a distinct flavor to food products when used at typical additive levels. Its role is functional, influencing texture and flow properties without imparting sensory characteristics detectable by consumers. The additive is generally used at low concentrations, where taste and aroma effects are negligible compared to the primary food components. Functionally, metal salts of fatty acids like aluminum myristate interact at interfaces within food matrices to reduce cohesion among particles in dry systems, which helps maintain free flow. In emulsions, these salts can position at oil-water boundaries, assisting in stabilizing the dispersed phase and preventing early separation. Such behaviors are driven by the amphiphilic nature of the fatty acid moiety combined with the inorganic aluminum component. In practical terms, aluminum myristate performs predictably across a range of pH and temperature conditions encountered during food processing. Its performance as an anticaking or emulsifying agent is valued for contributing to uniform texture and stability, particularly in complex formulations where powder handling and dispersion are critical. Because it does not significantly alter moisture content or interact strongly with flavors, it is a preferred functional additive in many industrial applications where consistency and processing performance are priorities.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is a regulatory concept that indicates the estimated amount of a substance that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk. For aluminum myristate and related salts of myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids, JECFA did not allocate a specific numerical ADI, reflecting that the committee did not identify safety concerns requiring restriction at typical exposure levels from food additive use. This ‘‘no ADI allocated’’ status suggests that within the context of the evaluation, these compounds did not warrant a numerical limit.(世界卫生组织) It is important to understand that an ADI is not a recommended intake but a safety threshold used by regulators to manage risks. When a substance has no ADI allocated, it means regulators did not find evidence of toxicity at the levels expected from intended uses, but it does not imply that unlimited consumption is endorsed. Instead, it reflects the absence of data indicating harm at typical additive levels. Consumers encounter many authorized food additives that have ADIs specified and others where regulators have concluded that typical exposure does not raise safety concerns without specifying a numerical value. In practice, manufacturers comply with regulatory purity and use conditions designed to minimize unnecessary exposure while achieving desired technological effects.

Comparison With Similar Additives

Aluminum myristate is one of several metal salts of fatty acids used in food processing with technological functions such as anticaking or emulsification. Other similar additives include sodium or calcium salts of fatty acids, which are often grouped as E 470a (salts of fatty acids) in regulatory inventories. These compounds share functional roles in stabilizing powders or mixtures and facilitating consistent texture in food products.(世界卫生组织) Compared to magnesium salts of fatty acids (often part of E 470b), aluminum myristate differs in the specific metal cation, which may influence solubility and interaction with other food components, but the overall technological intent remains similar. Regulatory evaluations often address these salts as groups rather than evaluating each individual compound in isolation, acknowledging shared metabolic pathways and functional properties. In contrast to emulsifiers such as mono‑ and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471), which have broader applications in integrating fats within diverse matrices, metal salts of fatty acids primarily target physical behaviors like free flow and surface activity. Understanding these relative functional niches helps food technologists select appropriate additives based on formulation goals, while regulators assess safety and exposure collectively across similar compound groups.

Common Food Applications Narrative

Aluminum myristate finds use in a variety of food formulations where maintaining consistent texture and handling properties is important. For example, in dry seasoning blends and spice mixes, the additive helps prevent the individual particles from clumping together during storage or transportation, which supports easier dispensing and application by consumers or industrial processors. Similarly, in powdered beverage mixes and baking mixes, aluminum myristate contributes to free flow, improving the ease with which the powders pour and dissolve. In products that require uniform emulsification, such as certain sauces or dressings, the additive may assist in maintaining a homogeneous mixture of oil and aqueous phases, supporting product quality and consumer acceptance. Its role as a formulation aid also makes it relevant in fortified or composite food products where texture and stability must be controlled despite the presence of varied ingredients. While usage levels are typically low relative to the primary food components, the presence of aluminum myristate can significantly influence how a product behaves during manufacturing and in the hands of consumers. Its technological functions enable consistent performance across batches, which is particularly valuable for large‑scale food production. Consumers benefit indirectly through improved product handling and consistent sensory experiences in foods that require precise physical properties.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Approved: True
  • Regulation: 21 CFR 172.863

EFSA

  • Notes: EFSA evaluation covers group salts of fatty acids; specific ADI not established for aluminum myristate
  • E Number: 470

JECFA

  • Year: 1985
  • Notes: JECFA did not allocate a numeric ADI for aluminum myristate
  • Ins Number: 470

Sources

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