What is citric acid?

Citric acid is an important organic acid.

Citric acid, also known as citric acid, is colorless and crystalline, often containing crystalline water molecules, odorless, with strong sour taste, and easily soluble in water. Its calcium salt is more soluble in cold water than in hot water. This characteristic is often used to identify and separate citric acid. In the crystallization process, anhydrous citric acid can be obtained by controlling the appropriate temperature.

Citric acid is widely used, accounting for more than 75% of the food industry output. It can be used as an antioxidant and pH regulator for foods, such as refreshing drinks, jams, fruits and cakes.

Mainly used as anticoagulant, antacid, correctant, cosmetics, etc. About 15% of it is used in chemical industry. Used as buffer, complexing agent, metal cleaning agent, mordant, gel, toner, etc. It is widely used in electronics, textiles, petroleum, leather, architecture, photography, plastics, casting and ceramics.

Extended data:

Physical properties of citric acid;

At room temperature, citric acid is colorless and translucent crystal or white particles or white crystalline powder, odorless, extremely acidic and slightly deliquescent in humid air. It can exist in the form of anhydride or monohydrate: when citric acid crystallizes from hot water, anhydride is formed.

Crystallization in cold water produces monohydrate. When heated to 78 degrees Celsius, monohydrate will decompose into anhydride. Citric acid can also be dissolved in anhydrous ethanol at 65438 05℃.

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