Citric Acid Monohydrate - China

Brief Overview 

Citrus fruits naturally contain citric acid, a weak organic acid with the formula C₆H₈O₇. It is a component of the citric acid cycle, which all aerobic organisms need for metabolism. Over 70% of the yearly output of citric acid, which is generated in excess of a million tons worldwide, is utilized by the food and beverage sector as an acidifier or antioxidant to improve or preserve the tastes and scents of fruit juice, ice cream, and marmalades. There are two forms of citric acid: monohydrate, which crystallizes in cold water, and anhydrous, which crystallizes in hot water. Heating citric acid monohydrate will provide the anhydrous form of the acid.

Manufacturing Process

Citric acid is produced by submerged fermentation using fungus from different sources of carbohydrates, such as molasses and starch-based media. As precipitation, calcium oxide is added to form the slightly soluble tri-calcium citrate tetrahydrate. The precipitate is removed by filtration and washed to remove impurities. It is treated with sulphuric acid to form calcium sulfate and filtered off. The citric acid liquid is then treated with active carbon and passed through a cation and anion exchanger. Finally, the liquid is concentrated in vacuum crystallizers at 20 - 25℃, forming citric acid monohydrate.

Food Industry

In the food and beverage business, citric acid is widely utilized for a variety of applications. Jellies, jams, sweets, dairy products, frozen fruit, oils, and animal feed are a few foods that include citric acid. Citric acid is also found in beverages including wine, ciders, soft drinks, and syrups. Citric acid has several applications such as preserving and adjusting pH, as well as acting as an antioxidant, sequestering agent, acidulant, and taste enhancer.

Pharmaceutical Industry    

Pharmaceuticals also make use of citric acid. It is used as an anticoagulant and effervescent when coupled with bicarbonates. In addition, it functions as an antioxidant and pH adjuster. Brown heroin's solubility is increased by the use of citric acid. Additionally, it serves as feed for making antiviral tissues.

Agriculture Industry                                     

Particularly in Hawaiian flora, citric acid is utilized as an agricultural repellent against frogs. Since citric acid is an acidic and corrosive substance, it is necessary to specify its dosage for plants. Excessive addition of citric acid can result in acidic soil, which can burn a plant's root system and kill it.

Other Applications

Iron and copper oxides can be operationally cleaned by removing metal oxides with citric acid. Citric acid is utilized as a buffering and neutralizing agent in industrial applications. It is also utilized in safety regulations and non-toxic, non-corrosive, biodegradable procedures. Additional applications include the production of ceramics, ion complexion, tanning leather, copper plating, waste treatment, floor cement, adhesive, textiles, and bottle washing compound, etc.