Popular Uses of Citric Acid
Food Preservation & Flavor Enhancement
- Flavor enhancer: Add to canned and preserved fruits or vegetables to maintain their color, texture, and freshness while enhancing their natural flavor.
- Preservative: Prevents spoilage and extends shelf life in jams, jellies, sauces, and pickled foods by maintaining acidity and freshness.
Dairy & Cheese Making
- Cheese making: Helps acidify milk in cheese production, allowing it to coagulate and form curds for homemade ricotta, paneer, and mozzarella.
Beverages & Homemade Drinks
- Beverages: A key ingredient in soft drinks, fruit juices, flavored waters, and powdered drink mixes for a tangy taste.
- Homemade fizzy drinks: When combined with baking soda, citric acid creates a fizzy reaction, making it ideal for carbonated drinks and effervescent tablets.
Baking & Cooking
- Baking: Used to activate baking soda, providing leavening and creating light, fluffy textures in cakes, cookies, and breads.
- Candy making: Adds a tangy, sour flavor to gummy candies, sherbets, and fruit-flavored sweets.
- Seasoning & spice blends: Enhances dry spice blends, providing tartness in seasoning salts, marinades, and snack coatings.
Household & Cleaning Uses
- Cleaning agent: Acts as a natural cleaner to remove limescale, clean kitchen surfaces, and disinfect household items.
- Dishwasher & laundry booster: Helps break down mineral deposits, keeping dishwashers and washing machines free from buildup and odors.
What is Citric Acid? The Spruce Eats
Paneer or Cottage Cheese recipe, The Spruce Eats
Product of CHINA
