Niacin (nicotinic acid)

Food Additive for Food Industry

Nicotinamide

Applications of Nicotinamide

Dietary supplements:

solid dosage forms (mono- & multivitamin formulations), liquid preparations (syrups, solutions etc.)

Food products:

improvement of nutritional value of various food products

Stability

Nicotinamide is normally very stable in foods. It is stable to atmospheric oxygen, heat and light in both the dry state and in aqueous solutions. Stored in the unopened original packaging at room temperature (max. 25°C), the product is stable for at least 36 months.

Physiological importance

Nicotinamide acts as the electron donor or acceptor in many biological redox reactions.

Deficiency symptoms

Deficiency symptoms only develop if the diet is niacin-deficient, the dietary niacin has poor bioavailability (e.g. with maize as a staple diet) or the diet is low in tryptophan. Pellagra is the best known disease caused by niacin deficiency.