Differences between Food Grade and Industrial Grade Magnesium Chloride & Whether They Can Be Mixed

I. Main Differences Between Food Grade and Industrial Grade Magnesium Chloride

The fundamental difference is that food grade magnesium chloride is used as a raw material or food additive safe for human consumption, while industrial grade magnesium chloride is only applied in industrial production. Their major distinctions are as follows:

1. Purity and Impurities

1.1 Food Grade Magnesium Chloride：It has relatively high purity, with strict control over harmful impurities such as heavy metals, arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, insoluble substances and sulfates, complying with national standards for food additives. Meanwhile, manufacturers are required to hold qualified production licenses.

1.2 Industrial Grade Magnesium Chloride：There are no strict restrictions on heavy metals and other harmful impurities.

2. Application Differences

· Food Grade Magnesium Chloride：Used as a food additive, it serves as a coagulant for soy products (such as tofu and dried tofu), and a dough conditioner for bread, pastries and other baked goods.It also functions to enhance food stability, retain moisture, improve texture and adjust taste.

· Industrial Grade Magnesium Chloride：Widely used in metallurgy, petroleum industry (raw material for magnesium metal production), water treatment, chemical industry (manufacturing other chemical products), building materials (floor tiles, sanitary ware), deicing agents, agricultural fertilizers and other fields, acting as industrial raw materials or additives.

3. Price Differences

At present, the price of food grade magnesium chloride ranges from about 2,800 CNY to 6,500 CNY per ton, while industrial grade magnesium chloride is priced roughly between 300 CNY and 1,800 CNY per ton.

II. Can They Be Mixed or Substituted?

The answer is definite: they cannot be mixed or used interchangeably.Industrial grade magnesium chloride must never replace food grade for edible purposes. Accidental ingestion may cause nausea, severe vomiting, abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, a bitter and numb sensation in the mouth and tongue, dehydration, fatigue, dizziness and stomach colic. Immediate medical treatment is required once poisoning symptoms appear.First-aid measures include immediate induced vomiting, and drinking plenty of warm water or milk for dilution.