Citric Acid
Citric Acid, Anhydrous, USP, FCC, BP
Citric Acid is a tricarboxylic acid found in fruits such as oranges, lemons and pineapples. Anhydrous Food Grade Citric Acid is produced by submerged fermentation process utilizing glucose as the carbohydrate source for a selected strain of Aspergillus niger. It is in the form of colorless translucent fine crystals that appear as white.
Citric Acid, FCC, USP, anhydrous, is odorless, has strong acidic taste, and is slightly deliquescent in moist air. One gram is soluble in about 0.5 ml of water, in about 2 ml of alcohol, and in about 30 ml of ether. Citric Acid, anhydrous, melts at 153° C (307° F).


Uses of Citric Acid, Anhydrous, USP, FCC (Food Grade)
Food and drink
Citric acid is one of the most common food preservatives and flavoring additives. Powdered citric acid being used to prepare lemon pepper seasoning
Because it is one of the stronger edible acids, the dominant use of citric acid is as a flavoring and preservative in food and beverages, especially soft drinks and candies. Within the European Union it is denoted by E number E330. Citrate salts of various metals are used to deliver those minerals in a biologically available form in many dietary supplements. Citric acid has 247 kcal per 100 g. In the United States the purity requirements for citric acid as a food additive are defined by the Food Chemicals Codex, which is published by the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP).
Citric acid can be added to ice cream as an emulsifying agent to keep fats from separating, to caramel to prevent sucrose crystallization, or in recipes in place of fresh lemon juice. Citric acid is used with sodium bicarbonate in a wide range of effervescent formulae, both for ingestion (e.g., powders and tablets) and for personal care (e.g., bath salts, bath bombs, and cleaning of grease). Citric acid sold in a dry powdered form is commonly sold in markets and groceries as “sour salt”, due to its physical resemblance to table salt. It has use in culinary applications, as an alternative to vinegar or lemon juice, where a pure acid is needed. Citric acid can be used in food coloring to balance the pH level of a normally basic dye.[citation needed]
Cleaning and chelating agent
Citric acid is an excellent chelating agent, binding metals by making them soluble. It is used to remove and discourage the buildup of limescale from boilers and evaporators. It can be used to treat water, which makes it useful in improving the effectiveness of soaps and laundry detergents. By chelating the metals in hard water, it lets these cleaners produce foam and work better without need for water softening. Citric acid is the active ingredient in some bathroom and kitchen cleaning solutions. A solution with a six percent concentration of citric acid will remove hard water stains from glass without scrubbing. Citric acid can be used in shampoo to wash out wax and coloring from the hair. Illustrative of its chelating abilities, citric acid was the first successful eluant used for total ion-exchange separation of the lanthanides, during the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. In the 1950s, it was replaced by the far more efficient EDTA.
In industry, it is used to dissolve rust from steel and passivate stainless steels.
Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals
Citric acid is used as an excipient in pharmaceutical preparations due to its antioxidant properties. It maintains stability of active ingredients and is used as a preservative. It is also used as an acidulant to control pH and acts as an anticoagulant by chelating calcium in blood.
Citric acid is used as an acidulant in creams, gels, and liquids. Used in foods and dietary supplements, it may be classified as a processing aid if it was added for a technical or functional effect (e.g. acidulent, chelator, viscosifier, etc.). If it is still present in insignificant amounts, and the technical or functional effect is no longer present, it may be exempt from labeling <21 CFR §101.100(c)>.
Skin exfoliator
Citric acid is an alpha hydroxy acid used in personal care products to adjust the acidity or promote skin peeling and re-growth in the case of anti-aging products. Citric acid is naturally found in citric fruits and juices, providing the characteristic acidic taste.
Hair Conditioner
Citric acid is an excellent conditioner substitute! You just need to dissolve 20 or 30 ml of the above citric acid solution (20% concentrate) in 1 litre of water and use it as the last rinse for your hair. This process closes the hair follicles making your hair soft and shiny.
Food Preservative
The acidic pH of citric acid makes it useful as a food preservative and preserves the color of the food since it significantly slows the oxidation. Since many bacteria are unable to grow in an acidic environment, citric acid is often added to jams, jellies, candy, canned foods, and even meat products as a form of preservation. Citric acid is also used to facilitate the ripening process when making cheese, particularly mozzarella. It is employed to adjust the pH of solutions when brewing both beer and wine, and works to keep fats from separating in homemade ice cream; it also prevents sugar from crystallizing in caramels. A small pinch of citric acid can also enhance the leavening power of baking soda, making it an ideal secret ingredient for cakes and biscuits. Those on a low-sodium diet may sub in citric acid for salt when seasoning.
Specification, Chemical Properties:
Product Name | Citric Acid, Anhyrous , FCC, Food Grade | |||
Product code | C001 | |||
Assay (%) | 99.5 -100.5 (Typical 99.9) | Citric – TN20565 | ||
Oxalic Acid | < 50 ppm | Oxalate – TN20740 | ||
Heavy Metals | < 5 ppm | Heavy Metals as Lead – TN20630 | ||
Particle Size | 99.9% < 600 micron | Gradex TN20745G | ||
Residue on Ignition | < 0.05 % | Sulfated Ash – TN20910 | ||
Bulk Density | 56 Lbs/ FT3 |
Regulatory
- INCI NAME: Citric Acid
- CAS#: 77-92-9
- EC Number: 201-069-1
- Procuct Code: C001
- Minimum Shelf life: 2 Years
- FCC, USP, BP, EP, FB, JP, FEUM, E-330
- No animal testing data available
- TSCA: Listed
- Made in: USA
Packaging
- 1-Lb. bags
- 5-Lb. bags
- 10-Lb. bags
- 50-Lb. bags
- 1000-Lb. Pallet
Additional Information
- Product Data Sheet
- Safety Data Sheet
- Order Online (ChemicalStore.com)
- Order Online (ScienceKitStore)
- Order Online (Zchemicals)
Storage Conditions
CITRIC ACID, FCC, USP, anhydrous, can be stored in dry form without difficulty, although conditions of high humidity and elevated temperatures should be avoided to prevent caking. Store in tight containers.
Warehouse Location
Citric Acid is available for immediate shipping from our warehouse in Clifton, New Jersey.
Disclaimer and Regulatory Notes:
The information provided in this page are based on our collective knowledge, personal experience and information gathered from other resources. We do not however provide any warranty or guarantee to the accuracy and applicability of such information. It is the sole responsibility of the reader, user and wine producer to perform their own independent investigation and make their own determination of the validity of such information. Commercial production or home production of wine may be regulated differently in different regions of the world. Wine makers must review the laws of their own country, state, county or city to ensure their operation does not violate any of the applicable regulations.