Sodium aluminosilicate

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Sodium aluminosilicate is a family of compounds that contains sodium, aluminum, silicon and oxygen, and may also include water. They do not have a single fixed formula; compositions vary. They can be synthetic amorphous materials, natural minerals, or synthetic zeolites. The most common use is as a food additive called E 554, where it acts as an anticaking agent to help powders flow. It is also used as a drying agent in packaging, for example in medicinal containers. The US FDA approved sodium aluminosilicate (sodium silicoaluminate) for direct contact with foods under 21 CFR 182.2727 (as of 2012). A typical composition reported by a supplier is roughly 14 SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, and 3 H2O, but many variations exist. Naturally occurring minerals named sodium aluminosilicate include albite and jadeite. Synthetic zeolites based on this chemistry have complex structures and many applications.