Comparing E330 - Citric acid vs E351 - Potassium malate

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Overview

E330 - Citric acid

Citric acid (E330) is a tart, sour-tasting acid found naturally in citrus fruits and used widely in foods and drinks. It helps control acidity, keeps flavors bright, and protects color and freshness in many products.

E351 - Potassium malate

Potassium malate (E351) is the potassium salt of malic acid, the same sour-tasting acid found in apples. In foods and drinks, it’s mainly used to control acidity and keep flavor consistent over shelf life. It also adds a clean, fruity tartness.

Synonyms

E330

Citric acid

E351

Potassium malate

Functions

acidity regulator sequestrant

acidity regulator

Origins

Products

Found in 95,503 products

Found in 0 products

Search rank & volume

#1996.8K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

#43290 / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

×0.15

under-aware

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Search volume over time

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

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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.