Definition:

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Mineraux®Zinc oxide Health Benefits

Zinc is one of the essential trace elements required by the human body. It plays a vital role in promoting growth and development, regulating cell replication and differentiation, repairing tissue cells, regulating immune function, and maintaining and enhancing immunity, intelligence, and fertility. Marginal zinc deficiency often goes unnoticed, resulting in symptoms such as decreased appetite, difficulty healing wounds, loss of taste, dermatitis, and decreased immunity. Severe zinc deficiency often manifests as developmental delay, sexual dysfunction, and acrodermatitis enteropathica in children. Zinc is involved in regulating cell signaling pathways in immune cells, influencing the development of immune organs, the physiological state and function of immune cells, and the secretion of cytokines. It is an essential element of the immune system and crucial for maintaining its integrity and stability. Zinc can promote immune regeneration and recovery after bone marrow transplantation. Zinc is widely available, but its content in foods varies greatly. Red meat and shellfish are good sources of zinc, with oysters containing over 100mg of zinc per 100g of food. The zinc content in livestock and poultry meat, liver and eggs is 2-5 mg. Except for the germ of cereals, plant foods are low in zinc. Zinc can also be supplemented through dietary supplements.

Mineraux®Zinc oxide is an important food additive. Its core function is to serve as a zinc nutrient enhancer (supplementing zinc, an essential trace element for the human body) and a food processing aid (protecting color, preserving food, and stabilizing quality).

Particularities of Mineraux®Zinc oxide:

Product Specifications:

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Product quality standards:

● GB 1903.4, USP, EP, BP, Food grade, In-house

▶Promotes growth and development

Mineraux®Zinc oxide Applications:

Zinc is a key coenzyme for cell division, protein synthesis, and nucleic acid metabolism. It is crucial for the growth and development of children, adolescents, and infants, and is also essential for tissue repair in adults. Zinc regulates the activity of DNA and RNA polymerases, promoting cell proliferation and differentiation. It is also essential for collagen synthesis, supporting the growth and repair of tissues such as bone, muscle, and skin.

■ Core features

Mineraux®Zinc oxide typically has a particle size of 0.1-10μm (ultrafine grinding can be reduced to the nanometer scale for improved absorption). It is insoluble in water and ethanol, but readily soluble in dilute acids (such as hydrochloric acid and citric acid) and strong alkaline solutions. It slowly dissolves in acidic environments such as juice and yogurt, releasing zinc ions. Zinc oxide is stable at high temperatures and resists decomposition. At room temperature, it is inert to air and moisture, making it less susceptible to deterioration during storage. Zinc oxide's weak alkalinity neutralizes small amounts of organic acids in food and forms stable complexes with food components such as proteins and pectin, enhancing zinc bioavailability.

Mineraux®Zinc oxide is available in the following specification and contents:

☑  Mineraux®Zinc oxide (Zn 80%)

The core applications of Mineraux®Zinc oxide focus on zinc nutritional fortification (addressing zinc deficiency) and food processing quality improvement (color protection, preservation, and texture stabilization). Food nutritional fortifiers primarily supplement zinc and are the mainstream application. Zinc is an essential trace element for the human body, involved in key physiological functions such as growth and development and immune regulation. By fortifying daily foods with zinc, food-grade zinc oxide targets populations with high zinc requirements or insufficient zinc intake (infants, pregnant women, vegetarians, etc.). In infant formula and complementary foods, due to infants' congenital zinc deficiency, the zinc intake from breast milk cannot meet their needs after 6 months. Fortification can prevent growth retardation, anorexia, and cognitive development delays caused by zinc deficiency. Nano-sized zinc oxide (particle size 10-50 nm) is preferred due to its large surface area and excellent dispersibility. It forms a stable complex with whey protein in milk powder, resulting in a 30%-50% higher zinc absorption rate than standard micron-sized products. It is often formulated with lactose and maltodextrin into premixes (zinc content 10%-20%) to avoid clumping and uneven distribution caused by direct addition. Natural dairy products have low zinc content (regular milk contains 0.3-0.5 mg/100g zinc). Fortification can meet the dual zinc and calcium needs of children and the elderly, preventing "hidden zinc deficiency" (which may affect immunity and metabolism without obvious symptoms). Cereals are staple foods, but their natural zinc content is low (rice contains 1.0-1.5 mg/100g zinc) and they contain phytic acid, which inhibits zinc absorption. Fortification can increase zinc content to 3-6 mg/100g, meeting 30%-50% of an adult's daily zinc requirement. Zinc is compounded in health foods and special diets designed to meet the zinc needs of specific groups of people, protein powders, meal replacement shakes and other products.

Mineraux®Zinc oxide is used in food processing additives to improve quality and provide additional benefits. Zinc oxide's weak alkalinity, stability, and chemical activity are generally used to address issues such as browning, spoilage, and poor texture during food processing. The addition level is typically ≤0.1% (based on the total food content), and zinc residues in the final product must meet national standards. It is used in processed fruits and vegetables for color preservation and freshness, in meat products for anti-corrosion and texture improvement, and in baked goods for dough conditioning and anti-aging.

■ Production technology characteristics

The production of Mineraux®Zinc oxide requires high-purity raw materials and precise purification to avoid heavy metal contamination common in industrial-grade production. Three main process routes exist.

The indirect method is the mainstream process and is suitable for large-scale production. Using food-grade high-purity zinc ingots (purity ≥99.99%), the ingots are heated to 1000-1200°C in a sealed graphite crucible, melting the zinc liquid and vaporizing it (generating zinc vapor). The zinc vapor reacts with purified air (removing dust and moisture) in an oxidation furnace to produce zinc oxide powder.

Coarse particles are removed through cyclone separation, followed by water washing (to remove soluble impurities), acid washing (using food-grade dilute hydrochloric acid) (to remove heavy metals such as iron and lead), drying (120-150°C), and finally airflow classification to produce products of varying particle sizes.

The direct method is suitable for small and medium-sized scale production and offers low costs. Food-grade zinc ore (such as smithsonite, which must be pre-purified to remove impurities such as sulfur and iron) is mixed with coke and calcined at 1200-1300°C. Zinc vapor is first reduced to form zinc vapor, which is then oxidized with air to form zinc oxide. Subsequent purification steps are similar to the indirect method. While this method is less expensive than the indirect method, the heavy metal content in the ore must be strictly controlled to avoid contamination of the final product. The wet method is suitable for high-purity, nano-scale products. Food-grade zinc sulfate or zinc chloride solution is used as the raw material. Food-grade sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate is added to the solution to produce a zinc hydroxide or zinc carbonate precipitate. After washing and filtering, the precipitate is calcined and decomposed at 400-600°C to produce high-purity zinc oxide (≥99.5%). This method can produce nano-sized zinc oxide (particle size 10-50 nm) by controlling reaction conditions (such as temperature and pH). This nano-sized zinc oxide has a large surface area, better dispersibility in food, and a zinc absorption rate 30%-50% higher than that of standard powders.

Zinc fuels immune cells, directly influencing their generation, activation, and function. It is a core element for maintaining the normal functioning of the immune system. Zinc promotes the proliferation of lymphocytes (T cells and B cells), enhancing specific immunity (such as T cell-mediated cellular immunity and B cell-produced humoral immunity). It also activates the phagocytic capacity of macrophages and neutrophils, enhancing nonspecific immunity (directly phagocytizing pathogens such as bacteria and viruses). It also regulates the secretion of cytokines (such as interferons and interleukins), inhibiting excessive inflammatory responses.

▶ Enhances immune function

Zinc participates in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and trace elements, acting as a metabolic regulator to maintain stable blood sugar and lipid profiles and nutrient absorption. Zinc is a cofactor for insulin, enhancing insulin sensitivity (promoting cellular glucose uptake), preventing insulin resistance, and assisting in blood sugar regulation (especially in those with prediabetes, where it can reduce fasting blood sugar by 5%-8%). Zinc can inhibit the activity of lipase, reduce the accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver, and prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

▶ Regulates metabolism

Chemistry name: Zinc dihydroxide; Zinc hydroxide

CAS No.:1314-13-2

EINECS No.: 215-222-5

Chemical formula: ZnO

Molecular mass: 81.39 g/mol

Physical and Chemical Properties:

The core health benefits of Mineraux®Zinc oxide stem from its conversion into readily absorbable zinc ions (Zn2+) within the body. Zinc is an essential trace element, involved in key physiological processes such as regulating the activity of nearly 300 enzymes, cell metabolism, and immune function. Mineraux®Zinc oxide can be used to address zinc deficiency through dietary fortification (such as in formula and cereals) or supplementation.

Zinc is essential for neurotransmitter synthesis, nerve cell protection, and neural signaling. It can improve cognitive function, regulate mood, and prevent neurodegeneration. Zinc is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Dopamine regulates attention and motivation, serotonin regulates mood, and GABA inhibits neural excitation (anti-anxiety). Zinc also maintains the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, reducing the entry of harmful substances into the brain and protecting nerve cells from oxidative damage.

▶ Neurological health