"A practical supplier guide to kojic acid (CAS 501-30-4): what the fermentation-derived powder is, its spec sheet (C6H6O4, MW 142.11, EINECS 207-922-4), how it inhibits tyrosinase for skin brightening, and its parallel uses in food preservation, flavor precursors, pharma, and agriculture, plus handling and sourcing notes."
-Deshangchemical-chemechemi
What Kojic Acid Actually Is
Kojic acid, registered under CAS 501-30-4, is an organic acid that most buyers first meet as a cosmetic whitening agent but that actually travels across several industries. Chemically it answers to a few equivalent names: 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one, or the older-style 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-γ-pyrone. The specification sheet reads: molecular formula C6H6O4, molecular weight 142.11 g/mol, EINECS 207-922-4.
Unlike a petrochemical derivative, kojic acid is made by aerobic fermentation. Glucose is fermented by Aspergillus candida at a controlled temperature band of 30-32 °C. That biological route is the reason the material lands in the same catalogue as food additives and plant extracts, not just as a lab reagent. On a spec sheet you will see it listed under multiple categories at once: food additives, pharmaceutical raw materials, organic raw materials, cosmetic raw materials, and plant extracts.
Physically it is a crystalline powder, white to beige-brown, with a melting point of 152-155 °C and a density around 1.1712. It dissolves in water, which is what makes it easy to work into aqueous cosmetic and food systems. The pKa sits at about 7.9 at 25 °C, so formulation pH matters when you are building a stable finished product around it.
How It Works in Skin Care
The property that built kojic acid's reputation is its effect on tyrosinase, the enzyme that drives melanin production in skin. Kojic acid chelates the copper that tyrosinase needs to stay active, which switches the enzyme off. With tyrosinase quiet, less melanin forms, and that is the mechanism behind its use in skin-brightening products.
What makes it practical for formulators is the safety record. Used at the right concentration it inhibits melanin without the white-spot side effects that some older brightening agents left behind. That is why you will find it in whitening creams, anti-aging formulas, sun-protection products, brightening facial cleansers, and a wide spread of beauty cosmetics.
It also stacks well with other actives. In the published literature it shows synergy when combined with superoxide dismutase (SOD), placenta extract, amino acids, sunscreens, and plant extracts. A formulator building a brightening line will often pair it with a copper peptide or a dedicated whitening agent on the same bill of materials, which is where the internal links below come in handy.
Beyond Cosmetics: Food, Pharma, and Agriculture
Treating kojic acid as a cosmetic-only ingredient misses most of its volume. In food it works as a preservative and antioxidant while leaving taste, aroma, and texture alone, which is not true of many other preservatives. That neutrality is the reason it holds a place in the food-additive category.
It is also the starting material for maltol and ethyl maltol. Through a defined series of reactions, kojic acid is converted into these flavor compounds, which are themselves widely used as food flavors and enhancers. If your team buys both, sourcing the precursor and the finished flavor from one supplier simplifies the chain.
In pharma, kojic acid feeds into the production of certain cephalosporin antibiotics, and in agriculture it shows up in biopesticides and bio-micro-fertilizers, where a 0.5-1.0% addition rate produces a deep red liquid fertilizer applied as a foliar spray or root treatment to support crop growth and yield. That agricultural use is a quieter but steady demand channel for the same powder.
Key Specifications Buyers Should Verify
Before locking a purchase order, match the points below against your own incoming-quality spec. We list the standard values so the first conversation already starts from the same baseline.
| Item | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| CAS number | 501-30-4 |
| Synonyms | 5-Hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one; 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-γ-pyrone |
| Molecular formula | C6H6O4 |
| Molecular weight | 142.11 g/mol |
| EINECS | 207-922-4 |
| Appearance | White to beige-brown crystalline powder |
| Melting point | 152-155 °C |
| pKa | 7.9 (at 25 °C) |
| Solubility | Water-soluble; slightly soluble in DMSO and methanol (sonicated) |
| Storage temperature | Store below +30 °C |
| Categories | Food additive; pharma raw material; organic raw material; cosmetic raw material; plant extract |
Handling, Storage, and Packaging
Kojic acid is a water-soluble powder, so the main storage risk is moisture pickup. Keep it sealed below +30 °C and away from damp warehouse corners; a tight drum liner does most of the work. Because the pKa is near neutral, watch the pH of any aqueous premix you prepare, and run a small stability check before scaling a new formula.
For sampling and bench work, request a small lot and run your own assay and microbial checks in-house. For production volume, confirm pack size, minimum order, and lead time at the quotation stage so freight and Incoterms do not surprise the invoice. We handle FOB, CIF, EXW, and express, and packing can follow customer requirements.
Pairing Kojic Acid With Other Actives
Kojic acid rarely ships alone on a formulation bill of materials. The Kojic acid (CAS 501-30-4) product page sits naturally alongside other cosmetic and food raw materials we stock. For a brightening or anti-aging line, the GHK-Cu copper peptide (CAS 49557-75-7) is a common partner, and alpha-arbutin (CAS 84380-01-8) targets the same melanin pathway from a different angle. A stable emollient base such as squalane (CAS 111-01-3) and a gentle surfactant like sodium lauroylsarcosinate (CAS 137-16-6) round out a finished cosmetic system.
On the food side, kojic acid is the precursor to ethyl maltol (CAS 4940-11-8), and it is often ordered together with citric acid anhydrous (CAS 77-92-9) and L-ascorbic acid (CAS 50-81-7) for preservation and antioxidant blends. Grouping these on one purchase order keeps documentation and incoming inspection in one batch.
Why Buy From chemechemi
Shandong Deshang Chemical, the manufacturer behind chemechemi, has run foreign-trade operations since 2002 and ships to more than 140 countries. For a buyer the practical upside is a single source for mixed raw-material orders, in-house QC with pre-shipment reports, third-party inspection on request, and packing that follows your spec. Every batch is tested before it leaves the warehouse, and commercial documents such as the invoice, packing list, bill of lading, COA, health certificate, and certificate of origin are supplied as standard.
If your team is scouting a kojic acid supply for cosmetics, food, pharma, or agriculture, start from the Kojic acid (CAS 501-30-4) product page to pull the current specification sheet, request a sample, and confirm MOQ and lead time. Matching CAS 501-30-4 on both sides of the quote is the fastest way to keep a fermentation-derived powder from being confused with a synthetic substitute on a busy production line.
