NANA
N-Acetylneuraminic Acid (Sialic Acid)
Key Specifications
| CAS Number | 131-40-0 |
| Purity | ≥98.0% |
| Molecular Formula | C₁₁H₁₉NO₉ |
| Molecular Weight | 309.27 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water |
| Storage | Room temperature, dry |
| Shelf Life | 24 months |
CAS 131-40-0
What Is NANA?
N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac, NANA) is the most abundant member of the sialic acid family, a group of nine-carbon acidic amino sugars found at the terminal positions of glycoproteins and glycolipids on mammalian cell surfaces and in human milk oligosaccharides. Chemically it is C11H19NO9, MW 309.27 g/mol, CAS 131-40-0. It occurs naturally in colostrum, edible bird's nest, and various animal tissues, but only in trace amounts, making direct extraction commercially impractical at scale. Commercial bulk NANA is therefore produced via microbial biosynthesis: engineered production strains ferment simple carbon and nitrogen feedstocks, and an enzymatic bioconversion step assembles the final sialic acid structure, which is then purified and crystallized into a white powder of pharmaceutical/food-grade purity.
Other Names
Key Features
High Purity, ≥98.0%
Each batch is assayed by HPLC to confirm purity of 98.0% or above, meeting the requirements of infant nutrition, cognitive-health, and cosmetic formulations.
Biofermentation-Derived, Traceable Process
Produced via a controlled microbial fermentation and enzymatic bioconversion platform rather than animal extraction, giving a consistent, green, and sustainable supply chain.
Free-Flowing White Crystalline Powder
Supplied as a fine white crystalline powder that is freely soluble in water, simplifying handling, weighing, and downstream blending.
Endotoxin & Contaminant Controlled
Every lot ships with an endotoxin control test report alongside heavy-metal and microbial limit data, supporting use in sensitive infant and clinical-adjacent applications.
Flexible Bulk & OEM Supply
Available in flexible bulk packaging with OEM/private-label options, sample-size orders, and documentation support for regulatory submissions.
| Molecular Formula | C₁₁H₁₉NO₉ |
| Molecular Weight | 309.27 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water |
| Storage Condition | Room temperature, dry |
| Shelf Life | 24 months |
| Grade 1 | Supplement Grade · ≥98.0% · COA |
End-Product Applications
Mechanism & Benefits
Fermentation-derived (green & sustainable). Specialist-grade for brain synaptic development and respiratory mucosal immunity — core ingredient for premium infant formula and cognitive health products. Purity ≥98.0% with full endotoxin control report. Non-cosmetic positioning; regulatory compliance-focused.
Packaging Options
100 g 500 g 1 kg
Lead Time
7–10 business days
Minimum Order
100 g
Custom Packaging
Custom packaging (foil bags, HDPE drums), GMP labeling, and export documentation are available. Contact us for specifics.Certifications
ISO
ISO
ISO9001
ISO 9001
Manufacturing Process
Strain Activation & Seed Culture
A proprietary production strain (typically an engineered E. coli or Bacillus subtilis line) is revived from the working cell bank and expanded through seed-stage cultivation under sterile conditions.
Fed-Batch Fermentation
Seed culture is transferred to production bioreactors and fed simple carbon/nitrogen sources (such as glucose and GlcNAc-related precursors) under controlled temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen to drive cell growth and precursor accumulation.
Enzymatic Bioconversion
An epimerase converts the accumulated amino-sugar precursor to N-acetylmannosamine, which is then condensed with pyruvate by a sialic acid aldolase (whole-cell or isolated enzyme system) to form N-acetylneuraminic acid.
Cell Removal & Clarification
Fermentation/bioconversion broth is centrifuged and microfiltered to remove cell mass and insoluble debris, yielding a clarified aqueous solution of crude NANA.
Decolorization & Ion-Exchange Purification
The clarified solution is treated with activated carbon for decolorization and passed through ion-exchange resin columns to remove salts, proteins, and colored impurities.
Concentration & Crystallization
The purified solution is concentrated under vacuum and cooled/seeded to induce controlled crystallization of N-acetylneuraminic acid.
Drying & Milling
Wet crystals are separated by centrifugation, dried under vacuum or low-temperature conditions, and milled/sieved to the target particle size.
QC Testing & Packaging
Finished powder is sampled for HPLC purity, heavy metals, microbial limits, and endotoxin testing before being packed under controlled humidity for shipment.
Quality Specifications
| Test Item | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | White crystalline powder | Conforms, white crystalline powder |
| Odor & Taste | Characteristic, no foreign odor | Conforms |
| Assay (HPLC) | ≥98.0% | 98.6% |
| Specific Rotation [α]D20 | +18° to +26° (c=2, H2O) | +21.5° |
| Loss on Drying | ≤1.0% | 0.4% |
| pH (1% aqueous solution) | 1.5-3.5 | 2.3 |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤10 ppm | <5 ppm |
| Lead (Pb) | ≤2 mg/kg | <1 mg/kg |
| Arsenic (As) | ≤2 mg/kg | <1 mg/kg |
| Mercury (Hg) | ≤0.1 mg/kg | <0.05 mg/kg |
| Cadmium (Cd) | ≤1 mg/kg | <0.5 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤1000 CFU/g | <100 CFU/g |
| Yeast & Mold | ≤100 CFU/g | <10 CFU/g |
| E. coli / Salmonella | Negative/25g | Not detected |
Purity & Assay Method
Purity is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV or refractive-index detection against a qualified reference standard, which reliably separates NANA from residual precursor sugars, salts, and process-related impurities. Buyers evaluating a lot should confirm the specific HPLC method (column, mobile phase, detection wavelength) and reference standard traceability used to generate the certificate of analysis, and may request an independent third-party retest for critical applications such as infant formula or clinical-adjacent products.
Solubility & Formulation
NANA is freely soluble in water, forming clear, stable solutions across a wide concentration range, which makes it straightforward to incorporate into aqueous and hydrophilic formulations such as infant formula, functional beverages, oral liquids, and cosmetic serums. Because aqueous solutions of NANA can be sensitive to prolonged heat and extreme pH, formulators are advised to add it during lower-temperature process stages, avoid prolonged high-heat holding, and verify compatibility and stability under their specific processing conditions through small-scale trials.
Available Product Forms
Bulk NANA Powder
High-purity raw powder for supplement factories, research organizations, ingredient distributors, and contract manufacturers.
NANA Capsules
Custom capsule strength, shell material, bottle count, excipients, and label design for private-label brands.
NANA Tablets
Tablet formulation, granulation, compression, coating, bottle packaging, and custom labeling support.
NANA Powder Blends
NANA can be blended with complementary actives (antioxidants, other longevity ingredients, vitamins, minerals) per customer formula.
How is the ≥98.0% purity of NANA confirmed?+
Each batch is assayed by HPLC against a qualified reference standard and documented in a certificate of analysis (COA); we can supply the COA together with the specific test method for buyer review before or after shipment.
How is this NANA produced — is it fermentation-derived or extracted?+
It is produced through a controlled microbial fermentation and enzymatic bioconversion platform rather than animal or plant extraction, giving a consistent, traceable, and sustainable production route.
Is NANA easy to dissolve and formulate into liquid products?+
Yes, NANA is freely soluble in water and forms clear, stable solutions, making it well suited to infant formula, beverages, oral liquids, and cosmetic serums; we recommend confirming stability under your specific heat and pH conditions.
Can we request a free sample before placing a bulk order?+
Yes, small sample quantities are available on request for formulation trials and internal QC evaluation prior to committing to a bulk order.
Do you support independent third-party testing?+
Yes, in addition to our internal COA and endotoxin control report, buyers are welcome to send retained samples to an independent laboratory of their choice for verification.
Can NANA be supplied under OEM or private-label arrangements?+
Yes, we offer OEM/private-label packaging and documentation support, including custom labeling and technical files to assist with your regulatory submissions.
What packaging options are available?+
Standard packaging is typically in food/pharma-grade drums or fiber drums with inner poly liners (commonly 1 kg, 5 kg, or 25 kg), with custom packaging sizes available on request.
What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ) and how do we get a quotation?+
MOQ varies by intended application and packaging format; please contact our sales team with your target volume, application, and destination country so we can prepare a tailored quotation and lead-time estimate.
Why Choose PathGene
- Direct China manufacturer supply — factory pricing, no middleman
- Batch-specific COA & full traceability on every shipment
- In-house R&D + synthetic biology / enzymatic production platform
- Free sample for qualified B2B buyers before commercial order
- Flexible MOQ — from lab-scale trial to ton-scale commercial supply
- One-stop OEM/private-label support for finished dosage forms
- Worldwide shipping by courier, air freight, and sea freight
OEM & Private-Label Services
- ·Custom capsule manufacturing
- ·Custom tablet manufacturing
- ·Powder blending & custom formulation
- ·Private-label bottles, pouches & labels
- ·Small trial orders
- ·Bulk commercial production
- ·Export documentation
- ·Third-party laboratory testing
Documents Available
- ·Certificate of Analysis (COA)
- ·Product specification sheet
- ·Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
- ·Manufacturing flow chart
- ·HPLC test report
- ·Heavy-metal test report
- ·Microbiological test report
- ·Non-GMO / allergen statement
- ·Country-of-origin documentation
- ·Packing list & commercial invoice
Certificate availability should be confirmed with our sales team before ordering.
Sample Certificate of Analysis
PathGene Biotech Co., Ltd.
南京派琪生物科技有限公司
CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS
Layout example — not an issued batch record
Product Name
NANA
CAS No.
131-40-0
Batch No.
PG-SAMPLE-000000
Packaging
Issued upon order confirmation
| Test Item | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | White crystalline powder | Conforms, white crystalline powder |
| Odor & Taste | Characteristic, no foreign odor | Conforms |
| Assay (HPLC) | ≥98.0% | 98.6% |
| Specific Rotation [α]D20 | +18° to +26° (c=2, H2O) | +21.5° |
| Loss on Drying | ≤1.0% | 0.4% |
| pH (1% aqueous solution) | 1.5-3.5 | 2.3 |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤10 ppm | <5 ppm |
| Lead (Pb) | ≤2 mg/kg | <1 mg/kg |
| Arsenic (As) | ≤2 mg/kg | <1 mg/kg |
| Mercury (Hg) | ≤0.1 mg/kg | <0.05 mg/kg |
| Cadmium (Cd) | ≤1 mg/kg | <0.5 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤1000 CFU/g | <100 CFU/g |
| Yeast & Mold | ≤100 CFU/g | <10 CFU/g |
| E. coli / Salmonella | Negative/25g | Not detected |
Conclusion: Conforms to internal quality specifications
The COA issued with your order will carry the actual batch number, manufacture/test dates, and QC signature.
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Interested in NANA?
Our R&D team will respond to your inquiry or sample request within 24 hours.
