Baby Safety / Compounds / Sodium gluconate

Is Sodium gluconate safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sodium gluconate, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is sodium gluconate?

The IUPAC name is sodium (2R,3S,4R,5S)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanoate.

Also known as: sodium (2R,3S,4R,5S)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanoate, sodium salt of gluconic acid, sodium D-gluconate, O-methylhydroxylammonium chloride.

IUPAC name
sodium (2R,3S,4R,5S)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanoate
CAS number
527-07-1
Molecular formula
C6H11O7Na
Molecular weight
218.14 g/mol
SMILES
CO[NH3+].[Cl-]
PubChem CID
11639

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sodium gluconate, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sodium gluconate, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Sodium gluconate. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EU_CLP—Not ClassifiedBelow hazard classification thresholds
FDA——GRAS status; food additive E576 (acidity regulator)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter sodium gluconate

  • cleaning products
  • construction materials
  • skincare products
  • food products

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Sodium gluconate:

  • GLDA (tetrasodium glutamate diacetate) — readily biodegradable chelator
    Trade-offs: Extremely mild (pH 5.5-6.5); biodegradable; derived from amino acids and fatty acids; premium ingredient cost; excellent consumer perception; lower foam volume than sulfate surfactants.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Citric acid — food-grade, naturally occurring
    Trade-offs: Alternative chelating agent; stability constants for target metal ions differ; biodegradability varies (EDTA poorly biodegradable, citrate fully biodegradable); downstream water treatment impact should be assessed.
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
  • MGDA (methylglycinediacetic acid) — high biodegradability
    Trade-offs: Alternative chelating agent; stability constants for target metal ions differ; biodegradability varies (EDTA poorly biodegradable, citrate fully biodegradable); downstream water treatment impact should be assessed.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain sodium gluconate?

Sodium gluconate appears in: cleaning products; construction materials; skincare products.

See Sodium gluconate in the baby app

Look up products containing sodium gluconate, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (2)
  1. PubChem Compound CID 11639 — database
  2. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 527-07-1 — reference

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →