Citric acid is a natural or synthetic antioxidant. It is found in many fruits: citrus fruits, cranberries, pomegranates, pineapples. It is actively used in cooking.
The use of citric acid
Citric acid, or E 330 (designation on food packaging) is a natural preservative with a crystalline structure that dissolves in ethyl alcohol and water. This substance in its original form is found in needles, all citrus fruits and berries, but its greatest amount is found in unripe lemon fruits and Chinese magnolia vine. Today, citric acid is produced by the biosynthesis of sugars, sugar and industrial strains of Aspergillus niger molds. Some of this substance is obtained by synthesizing from plant products.
For the first time an artificial analogue of natural citric acid was obtained in 1784 from lemon juice by the pharmacist-chemist Karl Scheele.
Citric acid is widely used in medicine, where it can be found in many pharmaceuticals, as well as in the oil and fat industry and the cosmetic industry. Citric acid is added to gels, creams, varnishes, lotions and foams. The food industry values this preservative for its low toxicity, good solubility, environmental friendliness and excellent compatibility with most chemicals. In addition, citric acid is an irreplaceable acidifier.
Cooking applications
Citric acid is a very popular food additive in the preparation of various dishes and the manufacture of foods such as candy, ice cream, creams, jellies, drinks, juices and soda. In addition, it is used for canning fruits and vegetables, as well as for the preparation of ketchups, mayonnaise, canned food, sauces, jams, processed cheeses, effervescent vitamins, sports, dry and tonic drinks, frozen semi-finished products and iced teas.
Citric acid is an excellent preservative that significantly extends the shelf life of a wide variety of foods.
To give the cooking dish the desired sourness, many housewives use a citric acid solution, for the preparation of which one teaspoon of the acid itself and two teaspoons of hot water are required. Lemon crystals need to be poured into a jar and filled with hot water, then thoroughly stir the ingredients until completely dissolved and use as directed. With regard to the use of dry citric acid, 4 g corresponds to the amount of juice squeezed out of one medium-sized lemon.
