ʻO ka Phosphate kekahi o nā meaʻai maoli o nā meaʻai āpau a hoʻohana nui ʻia i ka hoʻoili ʻana i nā meaʻai ma ke ʻano he meaʻai koʻikoʻi a me ka hoʻohui hana. ʻO ka phosphate maoli ka pōhaku phosphate (i loko o ka calcium phosphate). Hoʻopili ka sulfuric acid me ka pōhaku phosphate e hana i ka calcium dihydrogen phosphate a me ka calcium sulfate i hiki ke hoʻomoʻa ʻia e nā mea kanu e hana i ka phosphate. Hiki ke hoʻokaʻawale ʻia nā Phosphates i orthophosphates a me polycondensed phosphates: ʻo nā phosphates i hoʻohana ʻia i ka hana ʻai meaʻai maʻamau ka sodium, calcium, potassium, a me ka hao a me nā paʻakai zinc ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻoikaika kino. Hoʻohana maʻamau ʻia nā phosphates ʻai ʻoi aku ma mua o 30 mau ʻano. ʻO ka sodium phosphate ka ʻano meaʻai nui o ka phosphate meaʻai home. Me ka hoʻomohala ʻana o ka ʻenehana hana meaʻai, ke hoʻonui nei ka hoʻohana ʻana i ka potassium phosphate i kēlā me kēia makahiki.