Three grades. One premium palmitoylethanolamide.
Normal, micronized and cold water dispersible — released against a single internal specification, with a batch certificate of analysis on every lot. No proprietary blend hiding a lower assay, no undefined “micronized” claim.
Start from the dosage form, not from the finest number.
PEA is a lipophilic crystalline solid with a log P around 6 and aqueous solubility in the low milligram-per-liter range. Absorption is dissolution-rate limited, so surface area — that is, particle size — is the single biggest formulation lever you have.
| Grade | Particle size target | Dissolution behavior | Typical use | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEAOID / N Normal |
D50 ≈ 100–200 µm | Slow. Large plate-like crystals, low specific surface area. | Bulk powder, stick packs, effervescent bases, veterinary premix, further processing | • |
| PEAOID / M Micronized |
D50 2–6 µm D90 ≤ 10 µm |
Substantially faster. The particle-size class used in the majority of published human PEA work. | Hard capsules, tablets, gummies, softgels, sachets, most branded finished goods | •• |
| PEAOID / CWD Cold water dispersible Assay NLT 85% |
Micronized core on a dispersion system |
Wets and disperses in cold aqueous systems instead of floating and clumping. | RTD shots, powders for reconstitution, beverage pre-mixes | ••• |
Particle-size targets are release specifications measured by laser diffraction and reported on each certificate of analysis. The PEAOID / CWD grade is produced to order against a defined development brief.
The evidence for micronising
In a rat model of inflammatory pain, orally administered micronized and ultra-micronized PEA significantly reduced paw edema, thermal hyperalgesia and myeloperoxidase activity, while non-micronized PEA failed to produce a significant reduction at the same oral dose. Given intraperitoneally — bypassing the gut entirely — all three forms performed equally.1 That is as clean a demonstration as you will find that the difference is absorption, not pharmacology.
The limit of micronising
Comparative canine pharmacokinetics at 15 mg/kg found micronized and ultra-micronized PEA produced near-identical serum peaks (22.2 vs 22.4 pmol/mL at one hour).2 Once particles are small enough to dissolve within the absorption window, further milling adds cost rather than exposure. We therefore supply micronized as our finest grade and price it accordingly, rather than charging a premium for a distribution the data does not reward.
What the specification covers — and how you get it.
PEAOID is released against a controlled internal specification. We do not publish the limits, because the specification is our own development work and because a number on a public page is not a document your QA team can qualify against. It is issued in full, in controlled form, once a commercial dialogue is open.
| Public identity | |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | N-(2-hydroxyethyl)hexadecanamide |
| Common names | Palmitoylethanolamide, PEA, palmidrol |
| CAS number | 544-31-0 |
| EC number | 208-867-9 |
| Formula / MW | C18H37NO2 · 299.49 |
| Appearance | White to off-white crystalline powder |
| Assay | NLT 98.0% by HPLC CWD grade: NLT 85.0% PEA content |
| Origin | Natural, plant-derived starting material |
| Retest period | 36 months from manufacture |
| Storage | Below 25 °C, dry, protected from light |
Every lot is released against
- Assay by HPLC, on the dried basis
- Identity — confirmed by three independent methods
- Related substances and residual starting materials
- Elemental impurities — lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury
- Residual solvents against ICH Q3C class limits
- Microbiological purity — total count, yeast and mould, and absence of specified pathogens
- Loss on drying and residue on ignition
- Particle-size distribution by laser diffraction — D10, D50, D90, reported on the certificate of analysis
- Bulk and tapped density, so your encapsulation team can size the shell before the drum arrives
Getting the full specification
The controlled specification, a representative certificate of analysis and the supporting method summary are issued as part of the qualification pack, under NDA where you prefer. One email opens it — we are not trying to make this difficult, we are declining to publish our development work to competitors.
Packing, lead time and how a first order actually runs.
No portal, no minimum-container nonsense. A named technical contact, a firm date and documentation that arrives before the goods do.
- 01Enquiry
Tell us the grade, the dosage form, the annual volume and the destination market. - 02Documentation pack
Specification, representative CoA, method summary, safety data sheet and regulatory position — usually within one business day. - 03Sample
100 g evaluation samples on a chargeable basis against a qualified enquiry. Larger pilot quantities by arrangement. - 04Quotation
Priced by tier against your forecast, with Incoterms, lead time and payment terms stated. - 05Supply
Batch CoA issued ahead of despatch. Retention sample held. Scheduled call-offs supported under a supply agreement.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Evaluation sample | 100 g, chargeable |
| Minimum order quantity | 30 kg |
| Commercial pack sizes | 5 kg, 25 kg |
| Primary packaging | Double food-grade LDPE liner, heat-sealed, desiccant where specified |
| Secondary packaging | HDPE drum or fiber drum, tamper-evident seal |
| Labeling | Product, grade, batch, manufacture and retest date, net weight, storage |
| Retest period | 36 months from manufacture |
| Storage | Below 25 °C, dry, protected from light |
| HS code | 2924.29 (confirm with your customs broker) |
| Incoterms | EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP by agreement |
| Private label | Neutral packaging available; ingredient is not trade-marked into your label |
Requirement calculator
Estimate how much PEAOID your production run needs.
References
- Impellizzeri D, et al. Micronized/ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide displays superior oral efficacy compared to nonmicronized palmitoylethanolamide in a rat model of inflammatory pain. J Neuroinflammation 2014;11:136. PMID 24581357
- Della Valle F, et al. Comparative pharmacokinetics of micronized and ultra-micronized PEA in beagle dogs, 2013; summarized in Beggiato S, Tomasini MC, Ferraro L, Front Pharmacol 2019;10:821.
Request a specification, a sample, or a quotation
Send us your target dose, format and volume. Our technical team replies with a full documentation pack — specification, method summary, batch CoA and regulatory dossier — within one business day.