Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu, China sales01@liwei-chem.com 1557459043@qq.com
Follow us:



Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade: From Laboratory Origins to Modern Pharma Powerhouse

Historical Paths and Global Standards

Over a century ago, scientists cracked the secrets behind glucose, the simple sugar that fuels everything from yeast to the human brain. Anhydrous glucose entered the industrial scene as refiners learned ways to separate it from water, using heat and careful purification. Pharmacopoeias in Europe, Britain, and the United States recognized the medicinal utility early on and set the bar for composition, purity, and safety. In the world of pharma and biotechnology, these different standards—BP, EP, USP—carry real legal weight. Having worked with manufacturing partners obsessing over tiny certificate details, I’ve seen small differences in documentation slow down international shipments. It reveals how much global pharma depends on tight definitions and mutual trust built on shared scientific history.

Product at a Glance and Core Properties

Anhydrous glucose arrives as a solid, white, crystalline powder that carries a faintly sweet scent. It dissolves easily in water, producing a clear solution, and resists clumping if packed and stored well. Chemically, it’s C6H12O6, stripped of water molecules that linger in the hydrated form. The anhydrous variant prefers to avoid moisture, so even small changes in warehouse humidity can turn usable stock into a sticky mess. I learned early to advocate for strict handling and airtight storage after a summer shipment transformed from flowable powder to useless lumps. Lab records show a melting point near 146°C, steady optical rotation (about +52 to +53°), negligible chloride/sulfate content, tight microbial limits, and almost zero residual solvents—because even the tiniest contaminants can derail injectable or oral drug products.

Technical Specifications and Labeling Details

Bottles or bags must spell out batch numbers, shelf-life, pharmacopoeia grades (BP, EP, USP), hazard labels, and ideally a QR code or electronic tracking mark. On plant visits, I’ve seen how under-specified or vague labeling can trigger extra sampling and delays. By contrast, clear and honest spec tables let QA teams sign off with less stress. The most respected suppliers print not only the Certificate of Analysis lot data but also specific production dates, moisture thresholds (often under 0.5%), microbe findings, non-GMO status, allergen statements, and country of origin. Vendors slow to adopt such transparency tend to drop off customer shortlists surprisingly quickly, especially at scale.

Preparation and Synthesis Insights

To make anhydrous glucose, manufacturers start with starch—usually from corn, occasionally wheat or rice, depending on market and crop politics. Enzymes or food-grade acids liquefy and then debranch the starch into glucose chains. Filtration and carbon treatment strip out proteins and colored byproducts. From that point, the solution evaporates under controlled heat and reduced pressure until only dry glucose remains. I’ve toured plants where careful temperature monitoring prevents browning, as even a few burnt granules can taint hundreds of kilos. Sometimes, secondary crystallization sharpens the particle size, prepping the lot for high-speed tablet presses or sterile solution tanks.

Key Chemical Reactions and Modifications

Anhydrous glucose offers a straightforward chemical backbone—six carbons, each loaded with plenty of hydroxyl groups ready for further tweaking. Research labs harness this skeleton for Maillard reactions (think early-stage browning in protein-based foods), for reduction to sorbitol, and for crafting rare sugar analogues and sugar alcohols. Turning glucose into glucosamine, gluconic acid, or even biodegradable bioplastics draws on this chemical flexibility. In preclinical pharma trials, we depended on consistent glucose reactivity when screening new drugs for carbohydrate–drug conjugates and controlled-release platforms.

Product Names and Synonyms Out There

Industry folks trade terms like D-Glucose, Glucose Anhydrous, Corn Sugar, or even Dextrose for the same stuff. Some older suppliers still use trade names that can confuse search engines or procurement teams. On a few international calls, I realized Chinese and Indian API makers use their own language variants, reminding everyone to double-check translations to avoid serious shipment blunders.

Safety, Handling, and Operational Habits

Despite glucose’s role as a nutrient, its industrial-grade form deserves the same respect as any pharmaceutical raw material. Dust levels stay monitored by health and safety officers; clouds can explode in confined spaces. Workers wear gloves, respirators, and hair nets. Storage areas keep temperature and humidity stable, and trucks delivering product get cleaned after every load. I remember a minor powder spill that brought a packaging line to a halt—dust control teams cleaned every vent before operations resumed. Auditors from both clients and regulators push for incident logs and real-time batch tracking, so a slip never becomes a tragedy.

Main Application Zones: Past, Present, and Next Steps

Hospitals lean heavily on anhydrous glucose in IV solutions that treat low blood sugar or offer calories during recovery. It sits inside oral rehydration powders, pediatric syrups, and sometimes in enteral feeds for the critically ill. Pharma producers use it as a bulking agent in tablets, a carrier for unstable actives, and a stabilizer in freeze-dried vials. Its food uses reach into sweeteners and sports drinks, but medical and nutraceutical markets set even stricter grades. Over the years, some of the most innovative product launches—think fast-dissolving tablets or zero-sugar hydration blends—owe at least part of their function to the flexibility of pharma glucose.

Research, Innovation, and Development Work

Research teams keep finding new ways to harness the simplicity of glucose as a base for synthesis and drug design. In glycosylation studies, drug developers rely on glucose as the entry point for building more complex sugar molecules that help with targeting or reduce immune responses. Diagnostic suppliers investigate new formats where glucose content triggers quick colored reactions, making at-home testing easier. In one of my university collaborations, enzymatic assays for rare diseases depended on pure anhydrous glucose as the benchmark; off-spec sugar meant skewed results, so we worked side-by-side with our supplier’s QC lab just to guarantee the numbers.

Safety Data, Toxicity, and Regulatory Challenges

Acute toxicity for anhydrous glucose sits comfortably low for most adult exposures, though IV use in chronic patients demands careful handling. Long-term exposure rarely causes severe symptoms, but improper use—especially in neonates or diabetics—risk metabolic imbalance or hospital errors. Drug regulators want assurance both in the form of years-old toxicological data and batch-specific full traceability. In 2021, a recall involving contaminated glucose led to an industry-wide upgrade in testing for potential microbiological contamination, helping everyone see that routine is never routine in the public health space.

Looking Forward: Prospects and Pressure Points

Demand for pharma-grade glucose will keep rising as more countries improve access to modern medicine and biopharma expands therapeutic options. Sustainable manufacturing has started to take center stage; companies search for greener enzyme blends or renewable starch sources. Startup labs now explore glucose-based carriers for mRNA vaccines or controlled-release implants, challenging old assumptions about sugar's role. Digital batch tracking paired with rapid microbial checks seem poised to shrink recalls and improve trust. Supply chain uncertainty from climate shifts or war has focused new attention on both diversification and redundancy. Anhydrous glucose has journeyed from chemistry curiosity to pharmaceutical cornerstone, and its next chapter depends on both technical progress and the shared commitment to safety and transparency everyone in the business lives and breathes every day.




What is Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade used for?

More Than Just Sugar—A Critical Player in Modern Medicine

Anhydrous glucose, known to many as a pure form of sugar without water, earns its keep in the world of pharmaceuticals. Manufacturers don’t just toss it in for sweetness. This particular glucose comes refined under the strictest global standards—BP, EP, and USP. These acronyms matter, not just as badges of purity, but as real safeties for people who depend on medicines every day. These standards guarantee that what enters your bloodstream, or what stabilizes your tablet, won’t bring impurities along for the ride.

Putting Anhydrous Glucose to Work in Medications

Hospitals and drug companies rely on anhydrous glucose for much more than flavor. Intravenous drips often use it as a quick energy source. Doctors work with patients who can’t eat or absorb food, patients whose bodies break down or who fight life-threatening infections. A pure, predictable sugar—free from hidden moisture—links directly to patient survival. I once saw a diabetic friend hospitalized. The look of relief on nurses' faces, seeing his blood sugar steady thanks to a controlled IV, demonstrated that what’s in the drip bag matters as much as the doctor’s judgment.

Oral medications frequently wouldn’t stay together—or apart—without pharmaceutical-grade glucose. Glucose isn’t just filler. It serves as a carrier for both flavors and active drugs. Pharmaceutical pills and powders depend on the exact consistency that anhydrous glucose offers. Children’s fever syrups or chewable vitamins get their mild sweetness and stability from it. Ask any parent: giving medicine to a child who hates the taste borders on impossible. A little sweetness eases the process and boosts compliance, which translates to real-world health gains.

Quality Isn’t Accidental—It’s Regulated

In medicine, every detail counts. Even a small shadow of moisture in regular glucose could trigger clumping or spoilage in pills or liquids. That’s why anhydrous glucose gets chosen for its bone-dry nature and lack of suspicious by-products. Aging parents, tiny babies, those with rare illnesses—they all expect what crosses their lips or veins to come free from avoidable risks, especially with chronic or high-stakes therapies.

Why Standards Like BP, EP, and USP Change Lives

Countries and companies set rules because history has taught tough lessons about what happens without them. USP, BP, and EP set the tolerances for purity, contaminants, even the particle size. A shipment of glucose failing one standard rarely ends up in medicines. Factories invest in spotless environments. Auditors check every batch. This discipline means a child in New York, a cancer patient in Mumbai, and an expectant mother in Berlin all trust that medicine will do what it claims, not more, not less.

Paths Toward Safer, Better Medications

Future breakthroughs might bring even more refined forms of medicinal sugars, or plant-based alternatives with medical-grade safety. Until then, holding companies accountable means patients stay safe. Greater transparency about ingredient sources helps too. Patients, advocates, and even general practitioners can push for clearer labeling and proactive testing. A world where everyone expects and gets the pure real thing isn’t just idealistic—it’s entirely doable when demand and oversight keep rising together.

Anhydrous glucose proves that even common ingredients, made and delivered right, change outcomes and lives in ways that statistics alone don’t fully capture.

What are the main specifications and purity levels of Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

What Pharma Companies Look For

Glucose isn’t just sugar. In the world of pharmaceuticals, anhydrous glucose plays a role that most people never notice but would absolutely miss if it went away. Tablets and syrups count on it as an excipient. Hospitals depend on it for intravenous solutions. The quality standard draws a line in the sand: impurities can end up in your medicine, and nobody wants that risk.

Breaking Down the Main Specifications

Big pharmacopeias like BP, EP, and USP list minimum specifications for this ingredient. Anhydrous glucose must have a purity of not less than 99.5% on the dried basis. Usually, laboratories find levels higher, often hitting 99.7% or more. That’s a tighter margin than most foods could ever guarantee, and it’s the sort of demand that keeps pharmaceutical operations honest from raw warehouse to final tablet.

Residual moisture registers below 0.5%. Too much water, and the powder can cake or harbor bacterial growth — something no vaccine, saline drip, or cough syrup should tolerate. Sulfated ash stays under 0.1%. This measures leftover inorganic material once the sample gets blasted in a furnace. Exceeding that means poor purification or accidental contamination from machines or storage.

Microbial contamination draws strict scrutiny, with limits for total aerobic microbes and fungi typically below 100 colony-forming units per gram. Some batches even test for specific pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella, where zero tolerance prevails.

Heavy Metals and Chemical Controls

Manufacturers usually test for traces of arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals, and ultra-sensitive assays target limits below a few parts per million. Pharmacopeia standards for lead, for example, often say no more than 0.5 ppm. Sugar is supposed to help people recover, not make them sick with cumulative toxins.

Another box to check: identity verification. A series of chemical and physical tests confirm that what’s in the bag or drum is truly anhydrous glucose—not another sugar, and not a mixture padded with cheap fillers. Optical rotation measurements, melting point ranges (153°C to 157°C), and IR spectroscopy comparisons keep suppliers from cutting corners.

Beyond the Lab: Why Such Strict Purity?

Out in the field, you don’t want a patient experiencing side effects because a batch held trace solvents, mold, or a sprinkle of iron filings. People might shrug at such detail, but lives depend on it. Compromised purity can mean product recalls, lawsuits, or trust lost that’s hard to rebuild. I’ve seen how regulatory inspectors hit noncompliance cases — fines, suspensions, and a mess that can bury a small manufacturer.

Moving Toward Safer Supply Chains

Batch certification with detailed Certificates of Analysis helps pharmacists and doctors feel grounded in what they’re giving to patients. Increasingly, major drug-makers lean on raw material suppliers with robust GMP registrations, ISO certification, and transparent traceability paperwork.

On-site audits, surprise checks, and independent third-party labs all play a part in cleaning up weak links. Some regions even push for DNA barcoding or blockchain systems to track every step from cornfield to pill factory. Stakeholders realize that cutting corners ends up costing more in recalls, ruined reputations, and compromised safety.

The Bottom Line

Anhydrous glucose doesn’t make headlines, but every strict number in those pharmacopeial books stands for a hard lesson learned. Pure, dry, and chemically reliable — there’s no shortcut there. Results show up every day in recovery wards and neighborhood pharmacies, and patients count on that certainty.

Is Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade suitable for pharmaceutical formulations?

What Sets Pharma Grade Anhydrous Glucose Apart

Plenty of ingredients land on the table during pharmaceutical development, but anhydrous glucose that meets BP, EP, and USP standards brings certain strengths worth focusing on. These grades come with strict quality benchmarks; every batch finishes its journey with impurity profiles, moisture content, microbial limits, and identity tests all documented. Many may see a white, odorless powder, but in each particle, consistency gets baked right in. Sterile environments and experienced handling make the difference. Years working near lab benches taught me nothing causes more headaches than fighting contaminants. Robust pharmacopeial standards keep production snags away.

Why Formulators Reach for Anhydrous Glucose

In tablet or syrup production, excipients have a tough job. They carry the drug, help it act in the body, and keep it safe for the patient. Anhydrous glucose doesn't just fill space: it dissolves quickly, sweetens solutions, and stabilizes sensitive active compounds. Its dryness protects formulas from clumping or spoiling early. Whether I watched these bags delivered into the mixing room or saw how a failed batch ends in costly waste, purity always stood out as the deciding factor between product recalls and successful launches.

Reasons to Trust Regulatory Purity Standards

Medicines can't afford surprises. Each nation’s pharmacopoeia—British, European, or United States—insists on defined limits for heavy metals, microbial contamination, and residual solvents. Suppliers must certify their glucose batches, not only for ledger records but for peace of mind in a controlled industry. If I learned one point in pharmaceutical quality, it's that an unexpected impurity could mean patients get sick instead of better. In the late stages of product release, lab staff comb through analytical tests; if glucose doesn't meet the pharmacopeia, product shipments freeze.

Concerns and Challenges

Though pharma grade glucose shines in reliability, some challenges persist. Price can run higher than food-grade alternatives, so cost-control teams often push back. In my experience, though, attempts to sneak in lower-grade substitutes only lead to regulatory warnings or damaged reputation. Another sticky issue: storage. Pharma warehouses run 24/7 humidity checks because glucose grabs water straight out of the air. Any lapses and the entire stock risks degradation. Purchasing teams and facility managers keep tight inventories, ordering only what they’ll use quickly.

Solutions and Responsible Sourcing

Quality doesn’t happen by accident. Responsible sourcing demands traceability. Companies that trace lots from farm to finished product keep a strong hand during inspections. For supply stability, working with multiple audited suppliers gives a safety cushion against disruptions—especially in regions prone to export restrictions. Staff training also matters. A mistake in weighing or blending can send a batch to the trash, so companies invest in continuous professional development. Data from FDA warning letters show the harsh reality: corners cut at the sourcing stage often multiply problems downstream.

Looking Ahead: The Road for Anhydrous Glucose

Pharma grade glucose—when sourced and handled using strict standards—forms a solid backbone in formulation science. Its value isn’t just in meeting checklists, but in making sure every patient gets medication that works as promised. From my experience inside the industry, those small powdered scoops hold more than sugar—they hold trust, time, and the collective effort of countless people determined not to disappoint the ones who depend on them the most.

How should Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade be stored and handled?

Guarding Purity: The Reality of Storage

Walking through any pharmaceutical warehouse, you learn pretty quickly how a small lapse in storage routines can turn a batch of high-quality product into unusable waste. Anhydrous glucose, especially at BP EP USP pharma grade, isn’t just another bulk chemical. This white, crystalline powder delivers energy and supports formulation in everything from IV fluids to tablets. Only proper storage keeps it that way.

Moisture stands out as the main enemy. Anhydrous glucose, by definition, has no water – it actually draws moisture from the air. In a city like Mumbai during the monsoon or Houston in July, an open bag can clump up fast. Humidity ruins texture and can validate a cleanroom’s worst fears about microbial growth.

Pharmacies and factories should store glucose in tightly closed containers made of high-density polyethylene, stainless steel, or glass. Keeping the drums or containers off the floor and on pallets keeps things drier and blocks pests. Temperature makes a difference too. Ideally, keep storage areas below 25°C to slow down any chemical changes and prevent moisture from sneaking in.

Direct sunlight and heat vents turn any fine powder into a sticky, unusable mass. Glucose kept away from windows, radiators, or anywhere temperature swings rapidly preserves quality. Each time I’ve seen sun-exposed rooms, someone always ends up losing money and time scrapping product.

Handling Without Cutting Corners

Safe handling isn’t only about guards and goggles, but simple discipline. Use clean, food-grade scoops and gloves. Any trace cross-contamination—from unclean scoops or open handling—threatens a batch and, down the line, the end user’s health. In facilities following cGMP, even the tiniest spill gets logged and cleaned right away.

Handling always stirs dust, and anhydrous glucose throws fine clouds in the air if dumped carelessly. Breathing that in all day irritates lungs. Teams should use dust masks or respirators, especially for workers transferring powder from sacks to hoppers. More than once, I’ve seen people try shortcuts, using regular masks or letting their guard down during quick jobs, but the extra protection pays off in avoiding sick days and slowdowns.

Documentation and Rotating Stock

Every time I’ve helped audit a facility, the groups with the most paperwork headaches were the ones who lost track of batch numbers. Label every container clearly with supplier, lot number, and date received, or one bad batch can end up mixed in with the good. It’s not about bureaucracy—it’s the difference between being able to trace a problem and total confusion. Rotate supplies using FIFO (first in, first out) so nothing sits past its shelf life.

Quick Solutions for Common Mistakes

I’ve watched plenty of teams learn the hard way about what happens if you overlook ‘minor’ points. Cracked lids, especially the plastic kind, let in more humidity than most people think. Replacing those right away avoids spoilage. If storage space doubles up for other chemicals, keep glucose far from anything acidic or volatile—vapors travel farther than most realize and can change the powder’s character.

For anyone serious about quality, inspecting shipments upon arrival, running quick spot checks for caking or discoloration, and restocking shelves promptly aren’t just chores—they’re part of a careful daily routine. That’s usually what makes the difference between consistent supply and expensive recalls.

What packaging sizes are available for Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

Why Packaging Sizes Matter

My first job in a compounding pharmacy taught me something you don’t forget: packaging size isn’t just a number printed on a label. In the real world, it can dictate efficiency, cost, safety, and shelf life for anyone who relies on Anhydrous Glucose for pharmaceutical use.

Glucose in its anhydrous form shows up everywhere, from tablet manufacturing lines to clinical nutrition departments. The grade matters, but the size of the thing you open every day at work is no small detail either.

Common Packaging Sizes Available

The most common place I've seen Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP pharma grade is in well-sealed high-density polyethylene (HDPE) drums, pails, and multi-layered bags. Usually, bulk users such as pharmaceutical manufacturers go for the big drums—25 kg or even 50 kg capacities. These containers hold enough product for continuous production, reduce the hassle of frequent reordering, and make inventory management more predictable.

Medium-sized packs, like 10 kg pails or 5 kg double-lined bags, fit best into settings where flexibility matters. Hospital pharmacies, contract formulation labs, and research units often want that middle ground. You're not running a factory, but there's real throughput so smaller packs just waste time and introduce more handling risks.

Then, there’s the 1 kg and 2.5 kg options. These tend to show up in research settings, pilot studies, or for very specific hospital needs. In those places, anything bigger risks wastage and storage headaches. One local hospital switched to 1 kg containers after opening larger bags led to spills and clumping from humidity. Switching to smaller packs cost a bit more per kilo but made compliance easier and reduced waste. Sometimes, you need to pay a bit extra to have less product on hand, just to keep things manageable and safe.

Relating Packaging to Pharma Needs

Working with regulatory teams, I’ve learned that packaging isn’t only about volume and weight. Each pack should protect its contents from moisture and contamination, especially for premium pharmaceutical ingredients like Anhydrous Glucose. Pharmacopeia standards—BP, EP, USP—don’t just address the chemical identity; they specify limits on impurities and storage conditions as well. The best packaging keeps out water vapour and contaminants, and suppliers know that. That’s why HDPE drums often have tamper-evident, airtight lids and double-sealed liners for bags.

Environmental and Handling Concerns

Many people in pharmaceutical operations worry about storage space, transportation, and even waste. Large drums use up more warehouse room and need forklifts. Smaller packs can be moved by a single technician, and they cut back on risk when working with multiple clean rooms or frequent recipe changes. But all these choices generate packaging waste. Some suppliers are trying to introduce returnable containers or recyclable bags, but regulatory requirements complicate things. Nobody wants to risk cross-contamination, and pharma companies stick to what works for stability and safety.

Long-Term Solutions to Improve Packaging Choices

The industry could benefit from smarter packaging options—maybe lightweight drums designed for reuse, or sealed single-use liners that fit into generic reusable shells. Better education about package sizing effects on quality and cost would help new pharmacists and procurement teams make decisions. Sharing stories within professional communities helps everyone recognize that even the humble glucose drum can have a big impact on day-to-day safety, compliance, and costs in pharmaceutical work.

Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade
Names
Preferred IUPAC name D-glucose
Other names Dextrose Anhydrous
Anhydrous Dextrose
Glucose Anhydrous
D-Glucose Anhydrous
Anhydrous Glucose Powder
Pronunciation /ænˈhaɪ.drəs ˈɡluː.koʊs ˌbiːˈpiː ˌiːˈpiː ˌjuːˈɛsˈpiː ˈfɑː.mə ɡreɪd/
Identifiers
CAS Number 50-99-7
Beilstein Reference 1724905
ChEBI CHEBI:17234
ChEMBL CHEMBL455
ChemSpider 5589
DrugBank DB00014
ECHA InfoCard 100211
EC Number 200-075-1
Gmelin Reference Gmelin Reference: 83255
KEGG C00031
MeSH D-Glucose
PubChem CID 5793
RTECS number MA8050000
UNII FW2PX79LOH
UN number UN1202
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) DTXSID2022425
Properties
Chemical formula C6H12O6
Molar mass 180.16 g/mol
Appearance White or almost white, crystalline powder
Odor Odorless
Density 1.54 g/cm³
Solubility in water Soluble in water
log P -3.24
Acidity (pKa) 12.28
Basicity (pKb) 13.9
Magnetic susceptibility (χ) Diamagnetic
Refractive index (nD) 1.345
Dipole moment 0 Debye
Thermochemistry
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) 209.2 J·K⁻¹·mol⁻¹
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) -1273 kJ/mol
Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) −2801 kJ/mol
Pharmacology
ATC code A11CC
Hazards
GHS labelling GHS07, GHS08
Pictograms GHS07
Hazard statements H315, H319, H335
Precautionary statements Keep container tightly closed. Store in a cool, dry place. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothing. Wash thoroughly after handling. Use with adequate ventilation.
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) NFPA 704: 1-0-0
Autoignition temperature 410°C
Lethal dose or concentration LD50 (Oral, Rat) > 20000 mg/kg
LD50 (median dose) LD50 (oral, rat): 25,800 mg/kg
NIOSH DNK8000000
PEL (Permissible) 10 mg/m³
REL (Recommended) 10 mg/m³
IDLH (Immediate danger) Not listed.
Related compounds
Related compounds Dextrose Monohydrate
Fructose
Maltose
Sucrose
Lactose
Sorbitol
Mannitol
Galactose