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Article
Citric acid
Article By:
Sauer, Fred Technical Service Department, Pfizer, Inc., Groton, Connecticut.
Last reviewed:January 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.138000
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- Citric acid, published June 2014:Download PDF
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A hydroxytricarboxylic acid, general formula C6H8O7. Citric acid (see illustration) and its salts are widely used because they are nontoxic, safe to handle, and easily biodegraded. They are universally accepted, without restriction on level, as food ingredients, including acceptance by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Because of their food use, specifications for purity are included in the Food Chemicals Codex (except diammonium citrate). In addition, specifications for citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate are included in the U.S. Pharmacopeia and many pharmacopeia throughout the world.
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