Food additives Europe numbers: E486
Calcium stearoyl fumarate (CSF) is a substance with limited applications in medicine. It's more commonly used as an excipient in pharmaceuticals.
Here's a breakdown of its key points:
- Primary Function in Pharmaceuticals: It acts as an excipient, an inactive ingredient added to medications for various purposes during manufacturing or to improve the final product.
- Functions as:
- Lubricant: Ensures smooth machinery function during tableting (compressing medication into tablets) and prevents sticking.
- Flow Agent: Improves the flowability of powdered ingredients during manufacturing.
- Limited Medical Use: CSF itself has no established direct medical uses. It doesn't have any inherent medicinal properties and isn't meant to treat or cure any medical conditions.
- Safety: Generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its intended use as a pharmaceutical excipient. It's used in very small amounts and typically not absorbed by the body.