Application of citric acid

1. As a sour agent, citric acid is widely used in the production of various beverages, juices, cans, candies, jams, and jelly, making the products refreshing and delicious with a fruity sweetness. Citric acid itself is one of the natural components of fruit juice. It not only gives the drink a fruity flavor, but also has solubilizing, buffering, antioxidant and other functions. It can blend and coordinate the sugar, essence, pigment and other ingredients in the drink to form a suitable taste and flavor. .

2. Citric acid as sucrose converting agent

Adding an appropriate amount of citric acid to the sucrose solution can convert it into sugar to increase the saturation and viscosity of the sucrose, increase the osmotic pressure, thereby effectively preventing the sucrose from returning to sand in sugar products, and improving the preservation and texture of the products. .

3. Citric acid as a color-protecting agent for fruit and vegetable raw materials

Dipping fruit and vegetable raw materials in a mixture of 1% to 2% salt and 0.1% citric acid can inhibit discoloration caused by enzyme browning of fruit and vegetable raw materials.

4. Citric acid as pH adjuster

Citric acid is used in cans, jams, jelly and other products to lower the pH value and inhibit the reproduction of spoilage microorganisms. Generally, when the pH value is less than 5.5, most spoilage bacteria can be inhibited. At the same time, using citric acid to adjust the pH value of food can also improve the quality and flavor. For example, when grapes or other wine-making raw materials are overly mature and have insufficient acidity, citric acid can be used to adjust to prevent the brewed wine from having a weak taste. It also has antioxidant and protective pigment effects to protect the freshness of the juice and prevent discoloration.

5. Citric acid as an antioxidant synergist

For example, adding a 0.1% ascorbic acid solution to peeled fruit and vegetable raw materials can prevent oxidative browning of the raw materials. Citric acid is usually used as a synergist to control the activity of phenolase and prevent enzyme browning. For example, a molecule of crystal water citric acid can be used as an antioxidant in edible oils. For example, adding citric acid can improve the taste of ice cream, increase emulsion stability, and prevent oxidation. It can also enhance flavor in jams and jellies and has antioxidant effects. For example, when various meats and vegetables are pickled and processed, adding or applying citric acid can improve the flavor, remove fishy and odor, and resist oxidation.

6. Citric acid as a loosening agent improver

When baking soda is used as a loosening agent in pasta products, the products often have high alkalinity and poor taste. If citric acid and baking soda are used at the same time, the carbon dioxide produced by the baking soda molecules during the reaction can be absorbed, preventing the accumulation of sodium carbonate, thereby reducing the alkalinity of the pasta and improving the flavor.

7. Citric acid is used as a buffering agent. When vegetables and fruits are processed, their acid content will be different due to different varieties, origins, harvest periods, and storage times, which will bring inconvenience to the industry. Therefore, the acidity of the solution should be controlled as needed to ensure Product quality, it can also inhibit bacterial growth, reduce sterilization time and lower sterilization temperature.

8. Citric acid and fatty acid monoglycerides and diglycerides are used together as emulsifiers. Adding this emulsifier in the production of margarine and ice cream is beneficial to the demulsification and coagulation of fat, thereby improving product quality and making the product taste delicate. Reference dosage: 10g/kg, cold drink 10g/kg.

9. Citric acid as a flavoring and deodorant

Citric acid can be added to soft drinks, cold drinks, baked goods, candies and gums.

Citric acid can also be added to many food packaging materials as a spice stabilizer to preserve freshness and remove odors. For example, a film made of polyethylene such as 1% citric acid is used to package fish and pickled products. After three days, Can significantly reduce odor. In addition, citric acid is also widely used as a deodorant and deodorizer for seafood, aquatic products, goat milk and other products. For example, 10% citric acid and 0.2% hydrochloric acid are commonly used in kelp drinks to remove the smell of sardines. The fishy smell can be removed by soaking in citric acid with pH 5.5 for 30 minutes before processing.

10. Effect of citric acid on VC content

The vitamin C content in all sweet orange juice samples decreased during storage, but the characteristics of each decrease were different. In comparative experiments, citric acid has a certain slowing effect on the decline of vitamin C. In the newly prepared fresh samples of sweet orange juice, the total number of colonies in the sample containing citric acid decreased faster than the control sample, and it accelerated with the increase in citric acid concentration.