L-Valine (Food Grade) · Essential BCAA for Sports, Medical & Specialized Nutrition

Key characteristics

• Chemical name: (S)-2-amino-3-methylbutanoic acid (L-valine).
• Common name: L-valine (essential branched-chain amino acid).
• Form: typically a white, crystalline powder or crystals, odourless or practically odourless, with a slightly bitter taste at higher dosages.
• Solubility: sparingly soluble in water at ambient temperature; solubility increases at elevated temperatures. It is mainly used in powder blends, suspensions and solid dosage forms rather than clear solutions.
• Stability:
  • Stable in dry form under recommended storage conditions,
  • Shows good stability in many powder and compressed dosage applications, while liquid applications require careful pH and process control.
• Function in formulations:
  • Contributes to balanced BCAA ratios in sports nutrition blends,
  • Helps align amino acid profiles with nutritional targets in clinical and specialised formulas,
  • Used to standardise valine content in high-protein products and supplements.
• Regulatory status:
  • Use in food and nutrition products is subject to country-specific rules regarding amino acid addition,
  • Any structure/function, muscle or performance-related claims must follow local nutrition and health claim regulations.

Atlas supports R&D teams in using L-valine to build robust amino acid systems in sports, medical and specialised nutrition products, aligned with scientific guidance, processing conditions and market regulations.

Indicative specification points

Exact specifications are customised for each project. Typical food/nutrition-grade L-valine parameters include:

• Assay (L-valine): generally ≥ 98.5–99.5% on dried basis.
• Appearance: white crystals or crystalline powder, free from visible foreign matter.
• Specific rotation: within positive limits confirming the L-configuration.
• Loss on drying: controlled to maintain consistent assay, flowability and compression behaviour.
• Residue on ignition / sulphated ash: low levels in line with food-grade purity requirements.
• Chloride, sulphate and other inorganic ions: limited according to specification.
• Heavy metals and specific contaminants: restricted to meet food, supplement and medical nutrition standards.
• Related amino acids and organic impurities: tightly controlled and monitored in line with internal and regulatory limits.
• Microbiological profile: low counts suitable for sports nutrition, clinical nutrition and supplement products.
• Particle size distribution: grades available for RTM blends, tableting, encapsulation and homogeneous mixing.

Each lot is supplied with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) and a detailed technical data sheet. Additional documents (GMO status, allergen declarations, dietary suitability, contaminants and solvent data, origin, Halal/Kosher certificates and others) can be provided from approved producers to support audits, registrations and regulatory dossiers.

Sports & performance nutrition

• BCAA blends – L-valine is a core component of 2:1:1, 4:1:1 or other ratio BCAA powders and capsules, combined with L-leucine and L-isoleucine for sports and performance products.
• Pre-, intra- & post-workout powders – used in energy, performance and recovery formulations with proteins, carbohydrates, electrolytes, L-glutamine, taurine and creatine, subject to local regulations.
• RTM protein blends – incorporated in whey, casein or plant protein blends for athletes and active consumers to fine-tune amino acid profiles.
• Capsules & tablets – L-valine is formulated in BCAA capsule/tablet products or combined with other amino acids and vitamins in complex sports supplements.

Medical, clinical & specialised nutrition*

• Enteral nutrition formulas* – used in tube-feeding and oral nutrition supplements to meet defined amino acid requirements in patient-specific formulas.
• Metabolic and specialised diets* – L-valine can be one component in carefully designed amino acid blends for specialised medical nutrition applications where permitted.
• Immune and recovery-focused formulas* – included with L-glutamine and other amino acids in advanced clinical formulations under professional supervision.

*All medical and clinical nutrition applications require strict adherence to local regulations, safety assessments and clinical protocols. Atlas provides ingredient-level quality documentation, while final product compliance remains the responsibility of the manufacturer.

Dietary supplements & lifestyle products

• Capsules, tablets & sachets – L-valine is offered as part of BCAA or multi-amino acid supplements for active lifestyle and wellness brands.
• Combination supplements – integrated with vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, other amino acids and performance ingredients to support complex nutrition concepts (within local regulatory frameworks).

Functional foods & beverages*

• High-protein beverages & shakes* – may be added to dairy or plant-based drinks formulated as sports or specialised nutrition products, provided solubility, heat treatment and pH are suitable.
• Protein bars & solid foods* – incorporated into nutrition bars, snacks and functional foods to adjust amino acid composition, with attention to texture, process stability and taste.
• Powdered soups & savoury bases* – selected formulations for institutional or clinical nutrition may use L-valine to fine-tune amino acid profiles, subject to local rules.

*Use in general foods is restricted by local regulations on amino acid fortification and intended use; specialised nutrition applications typically require additional justification and oversight.

Formulation guidance

• BCAA ratio & dosage:
  • L-valine levels are determined in relation to L-leucine and L-isoleucine and the overall amino acid profile of the product,
  • Daily intake and per-serving amounts must comply with market-specific guidelines for sports and clinical nutrition.
• Solubility & processing:
  • More soluble at elevated temperatures; pre-dissolution or intense mixing may be used for certain beverage systems,
  • In powders, L-valine’s particle size and density should be matched with other ingredients to minimise segregation,
  • In tablets and capsules, flow, compressibility and compatibility with excipients must be checked.
• Compatibility & stability:
  • Compatible with most proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in dry systems,
  • Any long-term liquid applications require stability testing under realistic pH, temperature and storage conditions.
• Regulatory & labelling:
  • Manufacturers must confirm legal status and permitted uses of L-valine as an ingredient or nutrient in each market,
  • Any muscle, performance or recovery claims should strictly follow local nutrition and health claim rules,
  • Labels should clearly indicate L-valine content per serving in “Supplement Facts” or nutrition information panels.