Comparing E236 - Formic acid vs E330 - Citric acid
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Found in 11 products
Found in 95,503 products
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Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
Is formic acid a strong acid?
No—formic acid is a weak acid in water (pKa ≈ 3.75), though concentrated solutions are corrosive.
What is formic acid used for?
As E236, it’s used mainly as an antimicrobial preservative and acidity regulator (especially in animal feed and silage), and outside food in leather/textile processing, rubber coagulation, beekeeping, and as a chemical intermediate.
What does formic acid smell like?
It has a sharp, pungent, vinegar-like odor that’s acrid and stingy (reminiscent of ant stings).
What does formic acid do to the body?
At low food-use levels it’s metabolized to formate and then to carbon dioxide, but concentrated exposure irritates and can burn skin, eyes, and airways; large ingestions may cause metabolic acidosis and systemic toxicity.
Does formic acid have hydrogen bonding?
Yes—its carboxyl group donates and accepts hydrogen bonds, often forming dimers, which contributes to its relatively high boiling point.
Is citric acid bad for you?
At typical food levels, citric acid (E330) is considered safe by major regulators (GRAS; EFSA/JECFA). Concentrated or frequent acidic exposure can irritate the mouth/stomach or contribute to tooth enamel erosion.
Where does the citric acid cycle occur?
In eukaryotic cells it occurs in the mitochondrial matrix; in bacteria it occurs in the cytosol.
What does citric acid do to your body?
It is a normal intermediate in energy metabolism and is readily metabolized to carbon dioxide and water. Citrate can bind minerals, which may enhance absorption of some and help prevent certain kidney stones by increasing urinary citrate.
Where does citric acid come from?
It occurs naturally in citrus fruits, but most food-grade citric acid is produced by fermenting sugars (e.g., from corn, beet, or cane) with Aspergillus niger.
How is citric acid made?
Industrially, sugars are fermented with Aspergillus niger to produce citric acid, then it is recovered and purified—often by precipitating calcium citrate and converting it back with sulfuric acid or via ion-exchange/crystallization.