Chromium chloride

A lab-made mineral salt supplying trivalent chromium (Cr(III))—sometimes added in microgram amounts to fortified foods and dietary supplements as a trace mineral.

Should I eat Chromium chloride?

Chromium chloride is a lab-made mineral salt used in tiny amounts to supply essential chromium. It appears safe at modest doses, but high-dose supplements are unnecessary for most people and not well studied long term.

Summary

This ingredient provides trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) for fortified foods and supplements and is an approved source in the EU. EFSA reports low absorption and no mutagenicity signals for Cr(III) salts at nutritional intakes, and U.S. labeling sets a 35 microgram Daily Value for chromium. Authorities discourage exceeding about 250 micrograms/day from supplements due to limited long-term data, and people with kidney or liver disease should be especially cautious. Risks tied to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) are not relevant to permitted nutrition uses of chromium chloride.

Key Research Points

Keep supplemental doses modest

Authorities cite that total supplemental chromium(III) intakes up to about 250 micrograms per day are not of concern; long‑term safety of higher doses is unclear.

Trivalent chromium has low absorption

EFSA reports that trivalent chromium salts like chromium chloride are poorly absorbed and showed no mutagenicity in standard tests at nutritional use levels.

Not the carcinogenic chromium

Health concerns largely relate to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), not permitted for nutrition uses; chromium chloride provides trivalent chromium (Cr(III)).

Overview

What is it?

Source: Industrial synthesis from chromium oxide

Method: React, crystallize, and dry

Processing Level: 8 / 10

Why is it used?

Purpose: Trace mineral source providing trivalent chromium.

Commonly found in: multivitamins, sports drinks, meal bars, dieting shakes, TPN solutions

Why manufacturers choose it: Cheap, stable, and precise microgram dosing.

Origin

Chromium was identified in the 1790s in colorful ores from the Ural Mountains. Interest in its role in human nutrition surged in the mid-20th century after observations that patients on long-term intravenous feeding without chromium developed impaired glucose tolerance that improved when trivalent chromium salts (often chromic chloride) were added. Today, most chromium chloride used in food/supplements is produced industrially, not mined directly.

Process: React, crystallize, and dry

Steps

1. React: Chromium metal or chromium(III) oxide is reacted with hydrochloric acid to form chromium(III) chloride solution.

2. Clarify: Filter to remove insolubles and adjust pH/stoichiometry.

3. Crystallize: Evaporate and cool to crystallize chromic chloride (often hexahydrate, CrCl3·6H2O).

4. Wash & Dry: Wash crystals and dry to food/supplement grade.

5. Mill & Pack: Mill to spec and package under GMP.

Chemicals

Hydrochloric acid

Chromium(III) oxide or chromium metal

Water

Research & Safety

Potential Concerns

The main concern is excessive supplemental intake. Guidance in Europe indicates that total supplemental chromium(III) above about 250 micrograms/day is discouraged because long-term safety data are limited. This ingredient is a highly refined, lab-made inorganic salt; the health issue is not the processing itself but the dose and product quality. Choose reputable brands that use permitted trivalent chromium forms and follow good manufacturing practices, and avoid stacking multiple chromium-containing products.

Potential Benefits

Chromium chloride supplies microgram amounts of an essential trace mineral used for nutrient labeling and fortification. In the U.S., the Daily Value for chromium is 35 micrograms, and this ingredient helps products meet that labeled amount. Benefits beyond meeting trace needs are uncertain in healthy adults, and major authorities have not set an EU dietary reference value for chromium. For most people eating a varied diet, extra chromium is usually not necessary.

Digestive Effects

At typical microgram doses in foods and multivitamins, digestive side effects are uncommon. Some people may notice mild stomach upset with higher-dose chromium supplements, especially when taken on an empty stomach. Taking supplements with food and staying within modest intake ranges can improve tolerance. People with sensitive stomachs or underlying kidney or liver disease should be cautious and consult a clinician before using high-dose products.

Limit Consumption

People with kidney or liver disease may be more susceptible to adverse effects from high chromium intakes and should seek medical advice before use. Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals should avoid high-dose chromium supplements unless advised by a clinician due to limited safety data. For infants, chromium should only be used in regulated medical nutrition products when clinically indicated. Concerns about chromium carcinogenicity relate to occupational or environmental exposure to hexavalent chromium, not to the trivalent form used in nutrition.

Fact Sheet

Regulatory Status

US FDA: Chromium is an FDA-recognized essential mineral for fortification policy and labeling (DV = 35 µg); chromium chloride is used as a mineral source in supplements and medical nutrition. No explicit 21 CFR Part 184 GRAS listing for chromium chloride as a direct food substance was located; use follows fortification policy and DSHEA for supplements.

EU Status: Permitted mineral source for food supplements (Annex II, Directive 2002/46/EC; updated by Reg. 1170/2009).

Codex INS: None (mineral nutrient, not a food additive with INS number).

JECFA ADI: No numerical ADI established for Cr(III) salts used as nutrient sources; WHO cited supplemental intake up to 250 µg/day as not of concern.

ESG & Sustainability

Environmental Footprint: Inorganic salt production has modest energy/acid use; minimal land use; wastewater neutralization required.

Sustainability: Commodity chemicals; supply not constrained; compliance with hazardous waste handling for acid streams is key.

Animal Welfare: Not applicable (mineral salt).

Carbon Footprint: Low per serving due to microgram-level use.

Allergens and Diet

Allergen Status: None

Diet Compatibility: Vegan, Vegetarian, Kosher, Halal, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Keto, Paleo, Non-GMO

Natural Alternatives

Whole grains

Source: Wheat, oats, barley, etc.

Processing Level: Light

Common Uses: Bars, cereals, breads

Replacement Benefit: Provides small amounts of chromium with fiber and other nutrients.

Why it's not used: Natural chromium content varies widely; cannot guarantee labeled microgram amounts without fortification.

Meats & nuts

Source: Animal proteins; tree nuts/seeds

Processing Level: Light

Common Uses: Snacks, bars, meals

Replacement Benefit: Naturally contain chromium along with protein and micronutrients.

Why it's not used: Foods alone rarely deliver specific microgram targets for label claims; cost and variability are high.

Brewer's yeast (nutritional yeast)

Source: Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Processing Level: Moderate

Common Uses: Mineral-rich supplement; flavoring

Replacement Benefit: Whole-food matrix with naturally occurring trace minerals including chromium.

Why it's not used: Chromium chloride is cheaper, standardized to microgram levels, and easier to dose precisely.

Citations

Scientific Opinion on the safety of trivalent chromium as a nutrient added for nutritional purposes

2010-12-01

EFSA ANS Panel • EFSA Journal

Proposed maximum levels for the addition of chromium to foods including food supplements

2022-03-01

German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment • BfR

Directive 2002/46/EC (consolidated to 2024-02-06)

2024-02-06

European Parliament & Council • EUR-Lex

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1170/2009 amending Directive 2002/46/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006

2009-11-30

European Commission • EUR-Lex

Chromium in food and drinking water (CONTAM Panel)

2014-06-12

EFSA • EFSA Journal

Questions and Answers Regarding Fortification Policy

2016-01-01

U.S. Food & Drug Administration • FDA

Chromium – Health Professional Fact Sheet

2022-06-02

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements • NIH ODS

Permitted vitamins and minerals and their forms that can be used in food supplements

2012-07-20

Food Standards & Regulation • Welsh Government