Table 3.

Main applications of citric acid.

Industry	Applications
Canned and/or preserved foods	From fruits and vegetables (lettuce, carrot, celery, spinach, paprika, mushrooms) to beef, chicken and fish; CA monohydrate (food additive E330) lowers the pH, acts as a chelator and prevents enzymatic oxidation avoiding the degradation of food color and taste
Dairy products	CA-E330 is an important stabilizer of whipped creams to maintain their texture. It is an acidifying agent in many cheese products and as an antioxidant.
Cake shop	The main function of the CA-E330 is acidulant. In general, it acts on the conservation, viscosity, and acidity of gels, cakes and/or cupcakes
Beverages	It provides acidity and complements the flavors of fruits and berries. Increases the effectiveness of antimicrobial preservatives and adjusts the pH to maintain a uniform acidity.
Jellies, jams, and preserves	Provides acidity and regulates the pH of the products
Pharmaceuticals	As effervescent in powders and tablets in combination with bicarbonates. Provides rapid dissolution of active ingredients. Acidulant in mild astringent formulation. Anticoagulant.
Cosmetics and toiletries	pH adjustment, antioxidant as a metallic-ion chelator, buffering agent.
Metal cleaning	Cleans and removes iron and copper oxides from surfaces of ferrous and nonferrous metals
Others	Also used in the copper plating, leather tanning, printing inks, bottle washing compounds, textiles, photographic reagents, moulds, adhesives, polymers, and waste treatment