Natural Acids of Fruits and Vegetables Fruits Type Apples Apricots Avocados Bananas Bilberry Blackberries Blueberries Boysenberries Cherries Crabapple Cranberries Currants Elderberries Figs Gooseberries Grapefruit Grapes Kiwifruit Kumquat Lemons Limes Loganberry Nectarine Orange Peel Orange Passionfruit Peaches Pears Pineapples Plums Raspberry Rosehip Quinces Salad Strawberries Tangerine Youngberries
Predominant Acids* Present Malic , quinic, a-ketoglutaric, oxalacetic, citric, pyruvic, fumaric, lactic and succinic acids Malic and Citric acids Tartaric Acid Malic, citric , tartaric and traces of acetic and formic acids Citric Isocitric, Malic , lactoisocitric, shikimic, quinic, and traces of citric and oxalic acids Citric , malic, glyceric, citramalic, glycolic, succinic, glucuronic, galacturonic, shikimic, quinic, glutamic and aspartic acids. Citric , malic, and Isocitric acids. Malic , citric, tartaric, succinic, quinic, shikimic, glyceric and glycolic acids. Malic Citric, malic and benzoic acids. Citric, tartaric , malic and succinic acids. Citric , malic, shikimic and quinic acids. Citric , malic and acetic acids. Citric , malic, shikimic and quinic acids. Citric , tartaric, malic and oxalic acids. Malic and tartaric (3:2), citric and oxalic acids. Citric Citric Citric , malic, tartaric and oxalic acids (no Isocitric acid) Citric, malic , tartaric and oxalic acids. Malic, citric acids Malic Malic , citric and oxalic acids. Citric , malic and oxalic acids. malic Malic and citric acids Malic , citric, tartaric and oxalic acids Citric and malic acids. Malic, tartaric and oxalic acids. Citric Malic Malic acid (no citric acid) Citric and malic Citric , malic, shikimic, succinic, glyceric, glycolic and aspartic acids. Citric Citric , malic and Isocitric acids.
Vegetables Beans Broccoli Carrots Mushrooms Peas Potatoes Rhubarb Tomatoes
Citric, malic and small amounts of succinic and fumaric acids Malic and citric (3:2) and oxalic and succinic acids. Malic, citric, Isocitric , succinic and fumaric acids. Lactarimic , cetostearic, fumaric and allantoic acids. Malic acid. Malic, citric , oxalic, phosphoric and pyroglutamic acids. Malic, citric and oxalic acids. Citric, malic , oxalic, succinic, glycolic, tartaric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, sulphuric, fumaric, pyrrolidinonecarboxylic and galacturonic acids.
* Acids which occur in appreciable quantities are shown in italics. The relative amount of each varies widely with the variety, degree of ripeness and seasonal influences. Complete identifications of all the acids acids present in many of the products is obviously lacking in many instances.
Food Product/ Applications Soft Drinks
Citric Acid Form
Purpose
Citric Acid
Soft Drinks
Sodium Citrate
Wine
Citric Acid
Candies
Citric Acid
Canned Fruits and Vegetables Jams and Jellies
Citric Acid
Impacts find tangy flavour. Sequesters harmful heavy metal ions Offers agreeable, cooling, saline taste. Assists in retaining carbonation. Prevents or dissolves ferric turbidity caused by tannin-iron or phosphate-iron complexes. Enhances flavour of fruits and berries. Promotes sucrose inversion. Allows reduction of retorting temperature. Preserves flavour, appearance and consistency. pH adjustment for optimal pectin gelling
Gelatin Desserts
Citric Acid/Sodium Citrate Citric Acid/Sodium Citrate
Processed Cheese
Sodium Citrate
Antioxidants
Citric Acid
pH adjustment for optimal gelatin setting. Contributes to tartness and refreshing properties. Stabilises emulsified fat. Complexes calcium ions. Improves microbiological stability. Acts as synergist to antioxidants due to complexation of heavy metal ions
Natural Occurrence of Citric Acid in Fruits and Vegetables Plant Lemons Grapefruit Tangerines Oranges Blackcurrant Red Currant Raspberries Strawberries Apples Potatoes Tomatoes Asparagus Turnips Peas Corn Kernels Lettuce Eggplant
Citric Acid, wt % 4.0-8.0 1.2-2.1 0.9-1.2 0.6-1.0 1.5-3.0 0.7-1.3 1.0-1.3 0.6-0.8 0.008 0.3-0.5 0.25 0.08-0.2 0.05-1.1 0.05 0.02 0.016 0.01
Typical Use Level 0.25-0.4% 0.1% 0-0.3% 0.5% 0.1% 0-0.3% 2.5%
3 – 4% 0.02%
