Citric acid is an α-hydroxy acid found naturally in citrus fruits. It is an essential part of the Krebs cycle and is required by the body for utilization of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Citric acid has many uses in food processing, pharmaceuticals and other industries due to its sour acidic taste and ability to act as a preservative and flavoring agent.
Sources of Citric Acid Citric acid is primarily produced commercially through fermentation of carbohydrates like molasses and corn syrup by the fungus Aspergillus niger. However, citric acid is naturally occurring in citrus fruits in high concentrations. Most citrus fruits contain around 5-8% of their dry weight as citric acid with lemons and limes containing the highest percentages of around 7-8%. Other sources of citric acid include tangerines, oranges, grapefruits, bergamot oranges and other citrus varieties. Applications in Food Industry Food processing is one of the largest applications of citric acid due to its sour taste and preservative properties. Citric Acid is commonly added to soft drinks, candies, jams and jellies, canned foods and frozen desserts to enhance flavor profiles. It works as a preservative by lowering the pH of foods making the environment unsuitable for the growth of microorganisms. Citric acid is also used to add a tart taste to processed foods and beverages. It is widely used in bakeries for adding sourness in cakes, cookies and other baked goods. Citric acid acts as a leavening agent by reacting with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide bubbles. Pharmaceutical Applications Citric acid has a number of important uses in the pharmaceutical industry. It is used as an antioxidant and preservative in syrups, elixirs and other liquid medications. Citric acid acts as a synergist to enhance the action of antimicrobial preservatives. It is often formulated with antibiotic and anti-fungal creams as a buffering agent. Citric acid improves palatability and helps dissolve medications into solution faster for better absorption. It is also commonly used in effervescent tablets and powders for its acidity and ability to react with sodium bicarbonate to produce carbon dioxide bubbles. Home and Personal Care Products Along with food and pharmaceuticals, citric acid has widespread applications in home care and personal care products due to its acidity and cleaning properties. It is commonly used as a replacement for lemon juice in homemade cleaning solutions for removing stains and grease. Citric acid based products are used for cleaning bathroom surfaces, floors, kitchen areas and other household surfaces. In personal care, citric acid acts as an exfoliating agent in skin scrubs and facial washes. It is also utilized in shampoos and conditioners for its ability to remove mineral deposits from hair. Citric acid balances the pH of cosmetics and bath products giving them extended shelf lives. Industrial Scale Production Nearly all citric acid produced globally is manufactured through fungal fermentation using the fungus Aspergillus niger which converts carbohydrate feedstocks into citric acid. Most commercial operations use sugar cane molasses or corn steep liquor as growth media for the organisms. The fermentation process is carried out in stainless steel fermenters for several days under controlled pH, temperature and addition of nutrients. Post-fermentation, impurities are removed from the broth through liquid-liquid extraction and the purified citric acid crystals are isolated. Major producers today are in China, the United States, Germany, Thailand and Brazil with global annual production exceeding 1.5 million tons. New technologies are being developed for more sustainable and cost-effective microbial fermentation methods for citric acid. Environmental and Health Aspects As a natural metabolite present in almost all living cells, citric acid is generally recognized as safe for consumption by major food regulatory bodies such as FDA and EFSA. However, in large quantities it may cause gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Occupational exposure limits exist for citric acid manufacturing workers. As with other organic acids, it can cause skin and eye irritation at high concentrations. Waste streams from citric acid production may contain heavy metals and organic residues that need proper treatment before discharge. With regulated production and disposal protocols, citric acid can be manufactured in a sustainable manner with minimal environmental impact. Conclusion Citric acid plays a key role as a flavoring and preservative agent across numerous industries due to its versatile antimicrobial properties and sour taste. Naturally present in citrus fruits, commercial scale production via fungal fermentation has established citric acid as one of the largest volume organic acids globally. With expanding applications in food processing, personal care, cleaning products and other sectors, the demand for citric acid is expected to rise steadily in the coming years. Proper regulation of manufacturing facilities will be required to ensure its safe usage and minimize environmental footprint of this essential organic compound. Get More Insights On This Topic: https://www.pressreleasebulletin.com/citric-acid-squeeze-the-power-of-sourness/
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