Comparing E330 - Citric acid vs E284 - Boric acid
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Found in 95,503 products
Found in 7 products
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Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
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.
Is orthoboric acid the same as boric acid?
Yes—orthoboric acid (also called boracic acid) is the same compound as boric acid (H3BO3), designated as E284.
How does orthoboric acid poison work on insects?
It acts as a slow-acting stomach poison and desiccant: ingested boric acid disrupts the insect gut and enzyme function, and contact can damage the exoskeleton, leading to dehydration and death.
How does orthoboric acid work?
As a food additive (E284), it functions as a preservative by inhibiting microbial growth in certain tightly restricted uses (e.g., caviar in some regions). Outside food, it serves as a mild antiseptic and a slow-acting insecticidal desiccant/stomach poison.
How long does orthoboric acid kill ants?
After ingesting bait, individual ants typically die within 24–48 hours; noticeable colony reduction often appears in 3–7 days, with full control taking 1–3 weeks depending on species and bait formulation.
How much orthoboric acid must be ingested to be harmful?
Acute harm generally requires gram-level doses; case reports suggest about 15–20 g may be potentially lethal for adults (with much lower amounts posing serious risk to children). For long-term exposure, a commonly cited upper level for boron is 10 mg/day (≈57 mg/day as boric acid) for adults.