Ingredient Information

Function

Citric acid is a naturally occurring acid used in processed food to augment the sharpness of flavors. It is found in fruit juice, carbonated soft drinks, and tart pastry fillings. Citric acid also has antioxidant properties and is used as a natural preservative. Antioxidants work by reacting with oxygen that would otherwise cause fats to go rancid. In its salt form, sodium citrate, it is used as a buffer to modulate acidity in gelatin, candy, and many other processed foods. Citric acid is sold in powder form to be used at home to make mozzarella cheese, beer and wine, and to preserve jelly and other homemade foods.

Other Use and Industries

Citric acid is used in numerous cleaning products to cut grease and even remove rust and lime scale. It is added to cement to delay hardening. Citric acid in its salt forms, like potassium citrate, is added to supplements to ensure the bio-availability of minerals.

Health Effects

Citric acid is a natural substance and metabolizes in the body. It is also a natural inhibitor of phosphosfructokinase, an enzyme that is involved in the breakdown of glucose.

Citric acid, along with other organic acids can erode dental enamel (as assessed in in vitro experiments) when it is included in a solution of low pH and low calcium content. Since it is added to synthetically prepared fruit juices and soft drinks which lack calcium, excessive consumption of packaged fruit juices and soft drinks can erode dental enamel.

Origins

Citric acid can be isolated and purified from citrus fruits like lemons, limes and oranges. Fermentation of sugar by the bacterium Aspergillus niger can also result in the production of citric acid. This is most common production method used today. For this method, cheap sources of sugars are obtained from corn products or molasses and mixed with the mold strain. In 1983, it was discovered that mold strains could be used to produce citric acid, and at that time Penicillin was most widely used. Citric acid was discovered in the 8th century by Persian alchemist, Jabir Ibn Hayyan. It was first isolated from lemon juice by Swedish chemist Carl Scheele. Citric acid began to be industrially produced in 1980, around the Italian fruit industry.

Citric acid is a sour acid found in fruits and vegetables. The highest concentrations of citric acid can be found in the lemon family of fruits. Citric acid is identified as E330 in the Codex Alimentarius. The conjugate base citrate is an integral component of the basic biochemistry of most living organisms and takes part in the breakdown of glucose in the body.