Which grade do I need — food or pharma?

USP/EP grade for drug and injectable use; FCC grade for supplements and food.

Is it kosher, halal or vegan?

It is fermentation-derived and non-animal, and commonly certified.

Why is proline used in cell culture and freezing media?

It is a natural osmoprotectant. Cells accumulate proline to hold their water balance under osmotic or freezing stress, and unlike some additives it crosses the membrane rather than acting only from outside. Published work reports improved post-thaw recovery when cells are conditioned with proline before freezing, and it is used as a cryoprotectant additive in animal sperm and oocyte preservation.

What makes proline structurally unusual?

Its side chain bonds back to its own backbone nitrogen, making it a secondary amine rather than a primary one. The resulting ring restricts rotation, which is why proline turns up at bends in a folded protein and why it is essential to the collagen helix. It is also why proline behaves differently from other amino acids in peptide synthesis.

L-Proline

CAS 147-85-3 C₅H₉NO₂

CAS number: 147-85-3
EC number: 205-702-2
Formula: C₅H₉NO₂
Molar mass: 115.13 g/mol
Appearance: White to off-white crystals or powder; slightly sweet; water-soluble.

L-Proline is the odd one among the proteinogenic amino acids: its side chain loops back onto the backbone nitrogen, giving a rigid ring that forces kinks into a peptide chain and underpins the triple helix of collagen. Practically it is very soluble, close to neutral in solution and well tolerated at high concentration, which is why it appears as an osmoprotectant in fermentation and cell-culture media and, increasingly, as a membrane-permeable cryoprotectant in cell preservation work. It also serves as a chiral organocatalyst. Ehlinar supplies food and pharmacopoeial grades.

Applications

PharmaFormulation, intermediate and amino-acid infusion blends

NutritionDietary and sports supplements

CosmeticsHumectant and collagen support

BioprocessingCell-culture and fermentation media

Fine chemicalsChiral catalyst and building block

Grades & packaging

Food grade (FCC/JECFA, ≥99%), pharmaceutical grade (USP/EP; AJI97) and reagent/biochemical grade, with assay around 98.5–101.0%.

25 kg kraft bags/fiber drums with PE liner
Pharma: double-PE in drum
1 kg foil

How we supply

Supplier documentation on request

Certificate of Analysis (CoA), lot-specific where available
Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS)
Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
Certificate of Origin / Certificate of Conformity

Quality assurance

Independent third-party inspection can be arranged on request, with the agency and scope agreed per trade. Representative samples can be requested for qualification, subject to supplier availability. We recommend incoming quality control against the agreed CoA.

Delivery & terms

Quoted on standard Incoterms (e.g. EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP) as agreed per trade. Delivery region, packaging and grade are confirmed per quote.

Documents and services above are subject to supplier availability and confirmed per quote; nothing here is an offer.

Typical / indicative values — not a binding specification

Property	Typical
Assay	~98.5–101.0%
Assay (food, FCC/JECFA)	≥99%
Water solubility	Soluble

Also known as

L-(−)-proline · (S)-2-pyrrolidinecarboxylic acid · Pro · FEMA 3319

Frequently asked questions

Which grade do I need — food or pharma?: USP/EP grade for drug and injectable use; FCC grade for supplements and food.
Is it kosher, halal or vegan?: It is fermentation-derived and non-animal, and commonly certified.
How is it stored?: Cool, dry and sealed.
Why is proline used in cell culture and freezing media?: It is a natural osmoprotectant. Cells accumulate proline to hold their water balance under osmotic or freezing stress, and unlike some additives it crosses the membrane rather than acting only from outside. Published work reports improved post-thaw recovery when cells are conditioned with proline before freezing, and it is used as a cryoprotectant additive in animal sperm and oocyte preservation.
What makes proline structurally unusual?: Its side chain bonds back to its own backbone nitrogen, making it a secondary amine rather than a primary one. The resulting ring restricts rotation, which is why proline turns up at bends in a folded protein and why it is essential to the collagen helix. It is also why proline behaves differently from other amino acids in peptide synthesis.

Enquire about L-Proline

Related products

Figures and identifiers here are compiled from public references and provided for general information; they are indicative, not a specification. See all products.