E350 Sodium malates is an EU-approved food additive consisting of the sodium salts of malic acid.
E350 Sodium malates functions as a flavor enhancer, acidity regulator, and buffering agent in various processed foods and beverages.
E350 Sodium malates is universally recognized as safe, with no known adverse side effects for the general population.
CAS Number: 676-46-0
Molecular Formula: C4H7NaO5
Molecular Weight: 158.08
EINECS Number: 211-627-6
Synonyms: Malic acid, disodium salt, RefChem:887666, Sodium malate, 676-46-0, Disodium malate, DL-Malic acid disodium salt, disodium 2-hydroxybutanedioate, Disodium DL-malate, 22798-10-3, disodium;2-hydroxybutanedioate, SODIUM DL-MALATE, Sodium 2-hydroxysuccinate, Sodium DL-maleate, Butanedioic acid, hydroxy-, disodium salt, DTXSID7046831, malic acid sodium salt, MFCD00012466, L-HYDROXYBUTANEDIOICACIDDISODIUMSALT, 2EFF9N315F, Butanedioic acid, 2-hydroxy-, sodium salt (1:2), (2S)-, 63474-37-3, DTXCID5026831, Natriummalat [German], Natriummalat, CHEMBL182856, CAS-676-46-0, CCRIS 7317, NCGC00181053-01, EINECS 211-627-6, DL-MALIC ACID SODIUM, Disodium2-hydroxybutanedioate, UNII-2EFF9N315F, DL-Hydroxysuccinic Acid Sodium, D,L-Malate sodium hydrate, SODIUM MALATE, DL-, DL-Apple Acid Disodium Salt, SCHEMBL123089, INS NO.350(II), (+/-)-SODIUM MALATE, INS-350(II), SODIUM MALATE, (+/-)-, NCA47437, Tox21_112699, E-350(II), EBC-14043, DL-Hydroxysuccinic acid disodium salt, DL-2-Hydroxysuccinic acid sodium salt, Tox21_112699_1, FH69982, NCGC00043225-04, 40520-93-2, E350, SY102026, Butanedioic acid, 2-hydroxy-, sodium salt, DB-042411, DB-066312, M0026, NS00080025, C20341, SODIUM DL-MALATE;SODIUM MALATE;Apple sodiuM;DL-Apple Acid Disodium Salt DL-Malic Acid Disodium Salt;DisodiuM DL-Malate ;SodiuM DL-Ma1ate;DL-Malic acid disodiuM salt >=95% (capillary GC);Sodium 2-hydroxysuccinate
E350 Sodium malates is a sodium salt of malic acid (E296), a natural acid present in fruit, its alate is used as a buffer and flavouring in soft drinks, confectionery and other foods.
The D,L - and D-isomers are not allowed for infants who lack the enzymes to metabolise these compounds.
E350 Sodium malates are the sodium salts of malic acid, typically existing as sodium malate and disodium malate forms, and they are used mainly as an acidity regulator, buffering agent, stabilizer, and flavor modifier in food and industrial applications because they help control pH, smooth sour taste, and improve stability in acidic systems.
E350 Sodium malates are derived from malic acid, a naturally occurring acid found in apples and many fruits.
This improves acidity control and formulation stability.
E350 Sodium malates consist of a malic acid backbone (a dicarboxylic acid with a hydroxyl group) neutralized with sodium ions (Na⁺), forming highly water-soluble salts that can participate in acid–base equilibrium and buffering systems.
E350 Sodium malates allows them to resist sudden pH changes in solutions.
This improves buffering capacity and chemical stability.
E350 Sodium malates appear as a white crystalline powder, and they dissolve easily in water, forming mildly acidic to neutral solutions depending on concentration and formulation conditions.
They are stable under normal storage conditions and non-volatile.
E350 Sodium malates improves handling and formulation convenience.
E350 Sodium malates acts mainly as a pH control agent and flavor modifier, helping maintain consistent acidity levels while reducing sharp sourness and improving taste smoothness in food and beverage systems.
E350 Sodium malates also contributes to mineral balance indirectly through sodium content.
This improves sensory quality and formulation control.
E350 Sodium malates are best described as water-soluble sodium salts of malic acid used to regulate acidity, stabilize formulations, improve flavor smoothness, and support buffering systems in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial applications.
E350 Sodium malates are also important in modern food formulation design, because they sit at the intersection of acidity control and mineral salt balance, meaning they can influence not only taste but also how proteins, pectins, and other hydrocolloids behave in complex food systems.
This makes them useful beyond simple pH adjustment.
E350 Sodium malates improves multi-function formulation control.
E350 Sodium malates are used to fine-tune the “acid curve,” meaning how quickly sourness is perceived and how long it lasts on the palate, allowing manufacturers to design drinks that taste smoother and less sharp than citric-acid-dominated products.
This is important in premium beverage development.
E350 Sodium malates improves sensory refinement and taste design.
E350 Sodium malates help maintain the natural malic acid profile of fruits like apples and pears after heating or pasteurization, reducing the “cooked” or flattened acidity that can occur during industrial processing.
This helps preserve a fresher fruit character.
E350 Sodium malates improves flavor retention and product authenticity.
E350 Sodium malates are often used because they provide moderate buffering without strongly pushing the system toward either high acidity or alkalinity, making them suitable for multi-ingredient products where stability is critical.
They are often paired with other organic acid salts for precision control.
E350 Sodium malates improves pH stability and formulation flexibility.
Melting point: >300°C (lit.)
alpha: [α]D20 0±0.5° (c=4, H2O)
storage temp.: Store below +30°C.
form: Liquid
color: White to Almost white
Odor: at 100.00%. odorless
InChI: InChI=1S/C4H6O5.Na.H/c5-2(4(8)9)1-3(6)7;;/h2,5H,1H2,(H,6,7)(H,8,9);;
InChIKey: RIXCYAIAMMINJS-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES: C(O)(C(=O)O)CC(=O)O.[NaH]
LogP: -1.261 (est)
E350 Sodium malates are widely used in beverage formulation systems, where they help adjust acidity while producing a smoother taste profile compared to stronger acids like citric or phosphoric acid, making them especially useful in fruit juices, flavored waters, and soft drinks.
They help maintain a balanced and less aggressive sourness.
E350 Sodium malates improves beverage taste quality and sensory balance.
In fruit-based food systems, E350 Sodium malates help preserve the natural “fruit acid profile,” especially in apple, pear, and berry products, where malic acid is naturally dominant, allowing processed foods to retain a more authentic flavor.
They also help prevent overly sharp acidity.
E350 Sodium malates improves flavor authenticity and product consistency.
E350 Sodium malates is used because it provides moderate buffering capacity, helping maintain stable pH in multi-ingredient formulations where acidity changes could affect texture, stability, or shelf life.
It is often combined with other organic acid salts for better control.
E350 Sodium malates improves formulation stability and pH control.
E350 Sodium malates are used to stabilize active ingredients that are sensitive to pH fluctuations, ensuring consistent drug performance and improving taste masking in oral solutions.
They are especially useful in syrups and pediatric formulations.
E350 Sodium malates improves drug stability and patient compliance.
E350 Sodium malates are used to maintain a skin-compatible pH in products like gels, lotions, and creams, helping reduce irritation while ensuring that preservatives and active ingredients function properly.
They support gentle formulation design.
E350 Sodium malates improves skin compatibility and product stability.
E350 Sodium malates are used to stabilize acid–salt interactions in large-scale production, helping maintain consistent product quality across batches and reducing variability caused by raw material differences.
E350 Sodium malates improves manufacturing consistency and process control.
E350 Sodium malates are studied because they influence how sourness is perceived, not just its intensity, helping food scientists design more pleasant and rounded acidic taste profiles.
This is important in modern flavor engineering.
E350 Sodium malates improves sensory design and taste optimization.
E350 Sodium malates is a key intermediate in the Krebs cycle, so sodium malates are sometimes considered metabolically familiar compounds, contributing to their perception as gentle and well-tolerated in nutritional applications.
This links food chemistry with energy metabolism.
E350 Sodium malates improves nutritional relevance and formulation acceptance.
E350 Sodium malates are considered biodegradable and part of natural organic acid cycles, meaning they break down easily in biological systems and do not persist significantly in the environment.
This supports their use in more sustainable formulations.
E350 Sodium malates improves environmental compatibility and sustainability.
In large-scale manufacturing, their high water solubility makes them easy to dose and distribute evenly in liquid systems, ensuring consistent pH control across entire production batches.
This reduces variability and improves process efficiency.
E350 Sodium malates improves industrial reliability and production uniformity.
E350 Sodium malates can indirectly influence stability by adjusting ionic strength and calcium/magnesium interactions, which affects protein folding and emulsion behavior in dairy alternatives and nutritional drinks.
This helps reduce phase separation and texture defects.
E350 Sodium malates improves emulsion stability and texture control.
E350 Sodium malates are used to stabilize pH-sensitive active ingredients and improve taste masking in oral solutions, especially in pediatric medicines where bitterness and acidity must be carefully balanced.
They also help maintain consistent drug performance over time.
E350 Sodium malates improves drug stability and patient compliance.
E350 Sodium malates is a key intermediate in the Krebs cycle, so sodium malates are often considered metabolically “friendly,” contributing to their use in supplements and functional foods designed for gentle digestion and energy metabolism support.
This links formulation chemistry with biological function.
E350 Sodium malates improves metabolic compatibility and nutritional design.
In industrial-scale manufacturing, their high solubility ensures uniform distribution in large batches, which is critical for maintaining consistent pH and taste across thousands of liters of product in beverage production lines.
This reduces batch variation and improves process reliability.
E350 Sodium malates improves industrial consistency and scalability.
E350 Sodium malates are sometimes used to replace harsher or more strongly flavored acidifiers, helping brands achieve milder ingredient profiles while still maintaining necessary acidity control.
This is increasingly important in modern food labeling strategies.
E350 Sodium malates improves formulation modernization and consumer appeal.
E350 Sodium malates are considered biodegradable and naturally derived from fruit acids, making them compatible with greener formulation goals compared to more synthetic buffering agents.
They break down into naturally occurring metabolic intermediates.
E350 Sodium malates improves environmental sustainability and biodegradability.
Uses:
E350 Sodium malates is used as a skin conditioning and moisturising agent in cosmetics, as a food additive, and as an inhibitor component in cancer research.
E350 Sodium malates are mainly used as an acidity regulator, buffering agent, and flavor modifier because they help control pH, smooth sour taste, and improve stability in formulated products.
In food and beverages, they are used to regulate acidity and improve flavor smoothness.
E350 Sodium malates improves taste balance and product quality.
In fruit-based products, they are used to maintain natural acidity profiles.
E350 Sodium malates improves sensory authenticity and consistency.
In pharmaceuticals, they are used as buffering agents in liquid medicines.
E350 Sodium malates improves drug stability and effectiveness.
E350 Sodium malates are used to stabilize pH and support ingredient performance.
This improves skin compatibility and product stability.
In industrial systems, they are used to stabilize acid–salt interactions in formulations.
This improves manufacturing consistency and process control.
E350 Sodium malates are mainly used as an acidity regulator, buffering agent, and flavor modifier because they help control pH, smooth sour taste, and stabilize food and beverage formulations.
In food and beverages, they are used to regulate acidity and improve flavor smoothness.
E350 Sodium malates improves taste balance and product quality.
In fruit-based products, they are used to maintain natural acidity profiles.
E350 Sodium malates improves sensory authenticity and consistency.
E350 Sodium malates are used as buffering agents in liquid medicines.
This improves stability and effectiveness.
In cosmetics, they are used to stabilize pH and protect ingredients.
E350 Sodium malates improves product compatibility and shelf life.
In industrial systems, they are used to stabilize acid–salt interactions in formulations.
E350 Sodium malates improves manufacturing consistency and process control.
E350 Sodium malates are mainly used as an acidity regulator, buffering agent, and flavor modifier because they help control pH, smooth sour taste, and stabilize food and beverage systems without introducing harsh acidity.
In food and beverage products, they are used to regulate acidity while producing a smoother, more rounded sour taste compared with stronger acids like citric acid, which helps improve overall flavor balance in soft drinks, juices, and flavored waters.
E350 Sodium malates improves taste quality and sensory smoothness.
E350 Sodium malates are used to maintain a natural fruit acid profile, especially in apple, pear, and berry products, helping preserve authentic fruit flavor after processing, heating, or storage.
E350 Sodium malates improves flavor authenticity and product consistency.
E350 Sodium malates are used as buffering agents to maintain stable pH conditions, helping protect active ingredients from degradation and ensuring consistent drug performance over shelf life.
E350 Sodium malates improves stability and formulation reliability.
In cosmetic and personal care products, they are used to stabilize pH in gels, lotions, and creams, helping maintain ingredient effectiveness and reducing irritation caused by pH fluctuations.
E350 Sodium malates improves product safety and skin compatibility.
E350 Sodium malates are used to stabilize acid–salt balance in large-scale production, ensuring consistent quality across batches and improving formulation stability during manufacturing.
This improves process control and production consistency.
E350 Sodium malates are mainly used as an acidity regulator, buffering agent, and flavor modifier because they help control pH, smooth acidic taste, and stabilize formulations where consistent acidity is important.
E350 Sodium malates are used to adjust acidity while producing a smoother and less sharp sour taste compared with stronger acids like citric acid, making them useful in fruit juices, soft drinks, and flavored waters.
This improves flavor balance and sensory quality.
In fruit-based products, they are used to maintain a natural fruit acidity profile, especially in apple- and berry-based foods, helping preserve authentic taste after processing and heat treatment.
E350 Sodium malates improves flavor authenticity and product consistency.
In pharmaceutical liquid formulations, they are used as buffering agents to maintain stable pH levels, helping protect active ingredients from degradation and ensuring consistent medicinal performance over time.
E350 Sodium malates improves drug stability and reliability.
In cosmetic and personal care products, they are used to stabilize pH in formulations such as creams, gels, and lotions, helping ensure ingredient effectiveness while reducing irritation potential caused by pH shifts.
E350 Sodium malates improves product compatibility and skin comfort.
E350 Sodium malates are used to stabilize acid–salt interactions during large-scale production, ensuring uniform quality across batches and improving process consistency.
E350 Sodium malates improves manufacturing stability and control.
Safety Profile:
E350 Sodium malates are generally considered a low hazard additive, since they are based on malic acid and sodium, both of which are biologically common, though concentrated exposure can still cause mild irritation.
The main hazard is mild irritation of skin, eyes, and respiratory system, especially from dust or concentrated solutions.
Protective equipment is recommended.
E350 Sodium malates improves workplace safety.
Skin contact is generally low risk, though prolonged exposure may cause slight dryness or irritation.
Washing with water is sufficient.
Eye contact may cause moderate irritation, especially from powder exposure.
Eye protection is recommended.
Inhalation of dust may cause temporary respiratory irritation, particularly in poorly ventilated environments.
Dust control is recommended.
E350 Sodium malates is not flammable and is stable under normal storage conditions.
This improves handling safety.
From a toxicological perspective, sodium malates are considered safe within regulated limits due to their natural metabolic relevance and low toxicity profile.
However, industrial exposure should still be controlled.
E350 Sodium malates requires standard hygiene practices.
From an environmental perspective, they are low risk and biodegradable, since malate compounds are naturally metabolized in biological systems and do not persist in the environment.
This improves environmental compatibility and sustainability.
E350 Sodium malates are a low-toxicity multifunctional additive whose main risks are mild irritation rather than chemical hazard, making them suitable for regulated use in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial applications.