Is sodium phytate vegan?

Sodium phytate is the sodium salt of phytic acid, used in food production and personal care formulations primarily as a chelating agent and stabilizer. It is commercially manufactured by extracting phytic acid from plant seeds and grains, most commonly rice bran or corn. The extracted phytic acid is then reacted with an inorganic sodium base, such as sodium hydroxide, to produce the sodium salt.

Food manufacturers include sodium phytate in items such as beverages, processed sauces, canned vegetables, and plant-based packaged foods to bind metal ions, which helps prevent oxidation and preserve color. Sodium phytate is vegan because its raw materials come entirely from plant and mineral origins. Phytic acid is an organic compound found in plant storage tissues rather than animal sources, and the reagents used to neutralize it into its salt form are synthetic or mineral-derived. Because no animal inputs or animal-derived processing aids are utilized during its manufacturing, sodium phytate is suitable for a vegan diet.