Sodium malate is a chemical compound, the sodium salt of malic acid.

It appears in the form of a white powder.

What it is used for and where

Food

Ingredient on the European food additives list as E350, buffering agent in two forms:

• E350 (i)  Monosodium malate
• E350 (II) Disodium malate

Cosmetics

Humectant. Hygroscopic compound used to minimise water loss in the skin and to prevent it from drying out by facilitating faster and greater absorption of water into the stratum corneum of the epidermis.  The epidermis is the most superficial of the three layers that make up human skin (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis) and is the layer that maintains hydration in all three layers. In turn, the epidermis is composed of five layers: horny, the most superficial, granular, spinous, shiny, and basal. Humectants have the ability to retain the water they attract from the air in the stratum corneum and have the function of moisturising the skin. They are best used before emollients, which are oil-based.

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

• Molecular Formula   C₄H₄Na₂O₅      C₄H₄O₅Na₂H₂O
• Molecular Weight      178.05
• CAS  676-46-0   58214-38-3   207511-06-6
• UNII    2EFF9N315F
• EC Number   211-627-6
• DSSTox ID  DTXSID7046831
• IUPAC  disodium;2-hydroxybutanedioate
• InChl=1S/C4H6O5.2Na/c5-2(4(8)9)1-3(6)7;;/h2,5H,1H2,(H,6,7)(H,8,9);;/q;2*+1/p-2
• InChl Key      WPUMTJGUQUYPIV-UHFFFAOYSA-L
• SMILES  C(C(C(=O)[O-])O)C(=O)[O-].[Na+].[Na+]
• MDL number  MFCD00012466
• Nikkaji  J3.317K

Synonyms:

• Disodium malate
• Disodium DL-malate