Erythorbic Acid
The short version
The D-stereoisomer of vitamin C — same antioxidant function, ~5% of vitamin activity.
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Where it comes from
First produced industrially in the 1930s from the same family of synthetic routes as ascorbic acid, but starting from D-glucose. Less expensive than L-ascorbic acid but with only ~1/20 the vitamin-C biological activity (the L-stereoisomer is the bioactive vitamin).
How it's used
Used as a cost-effective antioxidant where the vitamin-C value of the product is not the labeling claim — cured meats (nitrosamine inhibition), canned vegetables, frozen fish. Identical chemical antioxidant function to ascorbic acid at lower cost.
Safety profile
ADI not specified — well-tolerated. Rapidly excreted; does not contribute significantly to vitamin-C status.
Physical & chemical properties
White to slightly yellow crystalline powder. Very soluble in water. Mild acidic taste. Light-sensitive in solution.
Regulation worldwide
Permitted globally. Cannot be declared as vitamin C — must use the specific name 'erythorbic acid' or its E-number.
Educational information only. Not medical or dietary advice.