Classification
Product TypeIngredient
Product FormCrystalline solid (typically pentahydrate; coarse crystalline powder)
Industry PositionFood Additive (antioxidant/reducing agent; formulation aid)
Market
Sodium thiosulfate (INS 539) is an inorganic food additive evaluated by FAO/WHO JECFA and used functionally as an antioxidant/preservative/sequestrant and, in some jurisdictions, as a reducing agent/formulation aid. Internationally traded volumes are typically captured in customs statistics under HS 2832.30 (thiosulphates), while some national tariff schedules distinguish sodium thiosulfate as a specific subheading (e.g., US HTS 2832.30.10). Trade flows for the HS 2832.30 thiosulphates category indicate significant exporting presence from the United States, China, and several EU member states, with notable import demand including Mexico, the United States, Canada, the Republic of Korea, and Ukraine. For food-grade supply, market access is strongly shaped by jurisdiction-specific permissions and by compliance with identity/purity specifications (e.g., JECFA/FCC), rather than by agricultural seasonality.
Major Producing Countries- United StatesMajor exporter in HS 283230 (thiosulphates) trade statistics; proxy indicator of large-scale production capacity for thiosulfate salts (HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates).
- ChinaMajor exporter in HS 283230 (thiosulphates) trade statistics; HS 6-digit aggregation includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- BelgiumAmong leading exporters in HS 283230 (thiosulphates) trade statistics; HS 6-digit aggregation includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- FranceAmong leading exporters in HS 283230 (thiosulphates) trade statistics; HS 6-digit aggregation includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- GermanyNotable exporter in HS 283230 (thiosulphates) trade statistics; HS 6-digit aggregation includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
Major Exporting Countries- United StatesTop exporter by value in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- ChinaTop exporter by value/volume in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- BelgiumLeading EU-member exporter within UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- FranceLeading EU-member exporter within UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- GermanyNotable exporter within UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
Major Importing Countries- MexicoTop importer by value in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- United StatesTop importer by value in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- CanadaTop importer by value in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- South KoreaTop importer by value in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
- UkraineTop importer by value in UN Comtrade/WITS HS 283230 (thiosulphates) for 2023; HS 6-digit includes sodium thiosulfate and other thiosulfates.
Specification
Physical Attributes- Colourless crystals or coarse crystalline powder (JECFA specification); deliquesces in moist air and can effloresce in dry air above ~33°C (JECFA specification).
- Very soluble in water; insoluble in ethanol (JECFA specification).
Compositional Metrics- Assay: not less than 99.0% on the dried basis (JECFA specification).
- Food additive identity anchors: INS 539; CAS 7772-98-7 (JECFA/WHO).
- Group ADI: 0–0.7 mg/kg body weight (expressed as SO2) as part of the sulfites group ADI (WHO JECFA).
Grades- Food additive grade meeting FAO/WHO JECFA specifications (INS 539).
- Food grade meeting Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) specifications (referenced in US 21 CFR 184.1807).
- Technical/industrial grades for non-food uses (specifications vary by buyer).
Packaging- Moisture-protective packaging is important due to deliquescence in moist air (buyer requirement implied by JECFA physical behavior).
ProcessingReducing activity is a defining functional/identity characteristic in specifications (e.g., iodine decolorization test in JECFA).Functional uses in food additive specifications include antibrowning agent, antioxidant, and sequestrant (JECFA specification).
Supply Chain
Value Chain- Chemical synthesis (thiosulfate formation) → crystallization (often pentahydrate) → drying/conditioning to specification → quality testing (identity/purity) → packaging (moisture control) → distribution to food/industrial formulators.
Demand Drivers- Food-additive demand where permitted: use as a reducing agent/formulation aid and antioxidant/sequestrant per jurisdictional allowances (e.g., US GRAS uses in alcoholic beverages and table salt under GMP; Codex/JECFA functional classes).
- Non-food industrial demand (e.g., water treatment/dechlorination and other industrial applications) can influence overall chemical production and pricing for thiosulfate salts.
Temperature- Storage and handling focus on dryness and preventing caking/deliquescence rather than refrigeration; protect from moisture per JECFA-described physical behavior.
Risks
Regulatory Compliance HighMarket access for food-grade sodium thiosulfate depends on jurisdiction-specific permissions and conditions of use (e.g., INS 539 in Codex/JECFA context and specific national rules such as US 21 CFR 184.1807). Misalignment between a buyer’s intended application and local additive/processing-aid permissions can lead to shipment holds, relabeling, or rejection even when the chemical itself is widely traded industrially.Confirm the destination-market legal status and permitted use levels for the exact application; maintain documentation linking the lot to JECFA/FCC-referenced identity and purity specifications (COA, specs, traceability).
Specification Integrity MediumFood-additive trade requires consistent compliance with identity/purity specifications (e.g., JECFA assay on a dried basis and identity tests). Off-spec material, hydration-state variability, or impurities can cause non-compliance and disrupt supply continuity for regulated food uses.Purchase to explicit additive-grade specifications (JECFA/FCC where applicable), verify assay and identity tests, and qualify alternate suppliers with harmonized specifications.
Storage And Handling MediumThe material’s tendency to deliquesce in moist air and change physical form (caking/efflorescence behavior) can cause handling problems, dosing inconsistency, and quality disputes across humid shipping lanes and warehouses.Use moisture-barrier packaging, desiccant/liner practices where appropriate, and humidity-controlled storage; define acceptable physical-form tolerances in buyer specifications.
FAQ
Is sodium thiosulfate recognized internationally as a food additive?Yes. Sodium thiosulfate is listed with an INS number (INS 539) and has been evaluated by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), with specifications published in FAO’s food additive specifications compendium.
What functions does sodium thiosulfate serve in food applications where it is permitted?JECFA references functional uses such as antibrowning agent, antioxidant, and sequestrant, and the WHO JECFA database also lists functional classes including antioxidant, preservative, and sequestrant.
What are examples of permitted uses in the United States?In the United States, 21 CFR 184.1807 affirms sodium thiosulfate as GRAS for use as a formulation aid and reducing agent, including uses in alcoholic beverages and table salt, at levels not to exceed good manufacturing practice.