What does citric acid do in food?

It adds a sour or tangy taste and helps control the acidity of food, which can help it stay fresh longer.

Is citric acid natural or artificial?

It occurs naturally in citrus fruits, but most citric acid used in packaged food is made through fermentation of sugar using a mold, then purified.

Can citric acid cause side effects?

At the small amounts used in food, citric acid is not known to cause side effects. Concentrated or undiluted citric acid can irritate the mouth, throat or skin.

Does citric acid have any nutritional value?

No. It does not provide meaningful vitamins, minerals or calories and is used mainly for taste and preservation.

Citric Acid

citric acid

Citric acid is a natural acid found in citrus fruits and widely made for food use by fermenting sugar. It gives food a sour taste and helps keep it fresh.

Not a declarable allergenINS code 330

This is not on India’s mandatory declaration list. It may still matter to you, and you can add it to your own avoid list.

What it is

Citric acid is a sour tasting acid that occurs naturally in lemons, oranges and other citrus fruits. Most citric acid used in packaged food today is made by fermenting sugar with a type of mold called Aspergillus niger. The resulting acid is purified into a white powder or crystal form before it is added to food.

Nutrition

Citric acid does not provide meaningful amounts of vitamins, minerals or calories. It is used in very small quantities, mainly for taste and preservation rather than for any nutritional contribution.

How it can affect health

Can affect: In the amounts normally used in food, citric acid is not known to have notable effects on the body. In concentrated or undiluted form it can irritate the mouth, throat or skin.

Who should limit it

No general group is established as needing to avoid citric acid at the levels used in food.

Where it is found

Citric acid is widely used in packaged foods and drinks in India such as candies, soft drinks, juices, jams, pickles and canned foods. It is added to give a sour or tangy flavour, to balance sweetness, and to help preserve freshness by controlling acidity.

Food additive

INS 330: Citric acid

Also written as

A different word for the same thing

acidity regulator (ins 330)en
ins 330en
ins330en
régulateur d'aciditéfr

Names in other languages

English: Citric Acid
हिन्दी: सिट्रिक एसिड
मराठी: सायट्रिक ॲसिड
বাংলা: সাইট্রিক অ্যাসিড
தமிழ்: சிட்ரிக் அமிலம்
ಕನ್ನಡ: ಸಿಟ್ರಿಕ್ ಆಮ್ಲ

Products on Laddoo that list it

In alphabetical order.

Matched against each printed ingredient list. A pack not listed here may still contain it under a name we have not matched: check its label.

Questions people ask

What does citric acid do in food?: It adds a sour or tangy taste and helps control the acidity of food, which can help it stay fresh longer.
Is citric acid natural or artificial?: It occurs naturally in citrus fruits, but most citric acid used in packaged food is made through fermentation of sugar using a mold, then purified.
Can citric acid cause side effects?: At the small amounts used in food, citric acid is not known to cause side effects. Concentrated or undiluted citric acid can irritate the mouth, throat or skin.
Does citric acid have any nutritional value?: No. It does not provide meaningful vitamins, minerals or calories and is used mainly for taste and preservation.

This page is written by AI as general information about the ingredient, not about any pack. It is not medical advice.