Comparing E330 - Citric acid vs E334 - L(+)-tartaric acid
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Found in 95,503 products
Found in 2,434 products
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Search volume over time
Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 9 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 tartaric acid bad for you?
No—L(+)-tartaric acid (E334) is approved for use in foods (e.g., EU E-number; FDA GRAS) and is considered safe at typical levels; very high intakes may cause stomach upset, and only the L(+)-form is used as an additive.
What is tartaric acid used for?
It’s used as an acidulant to add sourness and control pH, and as an antioxidant/sequestrant; it also partners with baking soda in leavening and is added to wine to adjust acidity.
How much tartaric acid to add to wine?
It depends on your must/wine’s pH and titratable acidity—bench trials are essential; as a rule of thumb, 1 g/L tartaric acid raises TA by about 1 g/L and can lower pH by ~0.1–0.3, with typical adjustments in the 0.5–2 g/L range subject to local regulations.
What does tartaric acid do?
It provides a sharp, tart flavor while regulating acidity, chelating metals, and limiting oxidation; in baking it reacts with sodium bicarbonate to release CO2, and in wine it helps set acid balance and stability.
What foods have tartaric acid?
It occurs naturally in grapes, wine, and tamarind (also in smaller amounts in some fruits), and as an additive it’s found in soft drinks, candies, jams/jellies, gelatin desserts, and baking powders/cream of tartar.