Description
The most widely used acidulant in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing globally. Provides clean tart taste, controls pH, and acts as a chelating and preservative-synergistic agent.
White crystalline powder. Anhydrous form is preferred where moisture sensitivity, water-activity control, or pharmacopoeial compliance matter, distinct from the monohydrate form which carries one bound water.
We supply food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Citric Acid Anhydrous from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.
Common market grades include Standard Food Grade (FCC compliant), Pharmaceutical Grade meeting BP, USP, EP, and JP specifications, and specialty mesh sizes including 8 to 30 mesh, 30 to 100 mesh, and fine powder for direct-compression and dry-blend applications.
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering assay, heavy metals, sulphates, oxalate, and microbiology.
Introduction
Citric Acid was first isolated from lemon juice by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1784. Industrial production by mold fermentation was commercialized by Pfizer in the 1920s using Aspergillus niger on sucrose-based feedstocks, and remains the dominant production method today.
Modern industrial production uses Aspergillus niger fermentation of sucrose, glucose, or molasses under aerobic conditions. The fermentation broth is purified through calcium-citrate precipitation, sulfuric-acid liberation, decolorization, and crystallization to yield food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade material.
Regulated as E330 in the EU, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA, listed in BP, USP, EP, and JP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA without a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake limit.
The molecule is a tricarboxylic acid that exists naturally in citrus fruits and as a central intermediate in the citric acid cycle of cellular metabolism. The pKa values of 3.13, 4.76, and 6.40 make it a versatile pH buffer across the full range of food and beverage applications.
Citric Acid functions in formulation across four roles simultaneously: acidulant for sour taste, pH buffer for stability, chelator that binds catalytic metal ions to prevent oxidation, and synergist that boosts the action of preservatives like sodium benzoate. This multi-functionality is the basis for its dominant position in food chemistry.
Where it is used
- Carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks, juice drinks, and flavored waters; the dominant beverage acidulant globally
- Confectionery: hard candies, gummies, sour candies, and chewing gum; provides sour notes and inhibits sucrose crystallization
- Jams, fruit preserves, fillings, and toppings; pH control and natural preservation
- Frozen desserts and ice cream; flavor sharpening and pH balance
- Sauces, dressings, ketchup, and mayonnaise; pH control and microbial stability
- Pharmaceutical effervescent tablets, syrups, and oral solutions
- Cheese manufacturing as a coagulant for direct-acidification process cheese
- Wine and brewing pH control and metal-ion chelation
- Cleaning and personal-care products including detergents and shampoos
- Industrial applications: metal cleaning, water treatment, and chemical synthesis intermediate
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Assay (anhydrous basis) | 99.5% to 100.5% |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 0.5% |
| Sulphate | ≤ 150 mg/kg |
| Oxalate | ≤ 100 mg/kg |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 5 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Readily carbonizable substances | Passes test |
| Particle size | 8 to 30, 30 to 100 mesh, or per customer specification |
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