L-CYSTINE is a white or almost white, crystalline powder, practically insoluble in water and alcohol. L-CYSTINE dissolves in dilute solutions of alkali hydroxides. LCystine is the amino acid dimer formed when of a pair of L-Cysteine molecules are joined by a disulfide bond through oxidation. L-Cysteine is one of the 20 natural amino acids and, besides methionine, the only one which contains sulfur. WACKER has developed a new production method for this amino acid via fermentation from non-animal and non-human raw materials.