Glycine
Glycine is the simplest amino acid, with no side chain and no optical isomers. Commercial glycine is made by chemical synthesis, mainly by reacting chloroacetic acid with ammonia or by the Strecker route from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, then purified and crystallized. It has a mild sweet taste and is bought as a white crystalline powder in food and USP grades for powders, capsules, beverages and flavor systems.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Glycine tested to the USP monograph, used where a compendial grade is required for supplements.
Glycine tested to a Food Chemicals Codex or supplier food specification for use in foods and drink mixes.
Glycine for industrial use, not suitable for food or supplements; confirm the grade on the spec and certificate.
Milled powders for capsules and blends, and coarser crystals with better flow.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store glycine in tightly closed, lined containers in a cool, dry place away from light and strong odors, and reseal opened packs promptly. Glycine is stable and not very hygroscopic. Shelf life or retest date is set by the supplier's specification; assay, loss on drying and micro are the usual retest points for older stock.
Record assay, grade and synthesis route for each lot. Rotate stock FEFO.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 172.320 lists aminoacetic acid (glycine) among the amino acids that may be safely used as nutrients added to foods.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 172.812 permits glycine as a masking agent for the bitter aftertaste of saccharin in beverages and as a stabilizer in mono- and diglycerides, each with a use limit.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 170.50 states that FDA no longer regards glycine and its salts as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in human food, and that added glycine needs an authorizing food additive regulation.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Raleigh, NC
North American subsidiary of the Ajinomoto Group. It supplies pharmaceutical- and food-grade amino acids made by fermentation, in pack sizes from R&D pails to bulk, plus custom amino acid blends.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include uSP grade, food grade, technical grade and fine and granular. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect identity, assay, related substances, loss on drying and residue on ignition and heavy metals and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store glycine in tightly closed, lined containers in a cool, dry place away from light and strong odors, and reseal opened packs promptly. Glycine is stable and not very hygroscopic. Shelf life or retest date is set by the supplier's specification; assay, loss on drying and micro are the usual retest points for older stock.
21 CFR 172.320 lists aminoacetic acid (glycine) among the amino acids that may be safely used as nutrients added to foods. 21 CFR 172.812 permits glycine as a masking agent for the bitter aftertaste of saccharin in beverages and as a stabilizer in mono- and diglycerides, each with a use limit. 21 CFR 170.50 states that FDA no longer regards glycine and its salts as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in human food, and that added glycine needs an authorizing food additive regulation.
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