Citric acid
Description
Citric acid (CAS 77-92-9), also designated E330 in food and beverage applications, is a multi-functional organic acid used across food, pharmaceutical, personal care, and industrial sectors.
It controls pH, chelates metal ions, and acts as an acidulant and preservative in a broad range of formulations. In food and beverage manufacturing, it acidifies soft drinks, confectionery, and preserved foods.
This ingredient extends shelf life by inhibiting oxidation. Pharmaceutical formulators rely on it to buffer effervescent tablets, oral solutions, and topical preparations where precise pH stability is critical to performance.
In personal care, it adjusts pH in shampoos, creams, and rinse-off products. Its chelating action neutralizes hard water minerals that would otherwise destabilize emulsions or affect the clarity of the final product.
Water treatment operations use it to sequester calcium and heavy metal ions. This prevents scale formation in industrial systems and cleaning-in-place circuits, ensuring efficient maintenance of high-value equipment.
The product is supplied as a white crystalline powder or granules in both anhydrous and monohydrate forms. Standard grades include FCC, USP, BP, Ph.Eur., and technical grade options.
These grades cover food, pharmaceutical, and industrial procurement requirements. Bulk quantities are typically available in 25 kg bags or big bags, with food-grade and pharma-grade material supplied under full documentation.
Every shipment includes a CoA and origin certification to ensure compliance with global safety regulations. This ensures that the material meets the rigorous demands of modern manufacturing and supply chain standards.
Physical Properties
| Melting Point | 153 °C |
| Boiling Point | 310 °C (decomp) |
| Density | 1.665 g/cm³ @ Temp: 20 °C |
| Flash Point | 100 °C |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Color | White |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Form | grit |
| Water Solubility | 750 g/L (20 ºC) |
| Vapor Pressure | <0.1 hPa (20 °C) |
| Refractive Index | 1.493~1.509 |
| pH | 1.0-2.0 (25℃, 1M in H2O) |
| Log P | -1.64 |
Safety & Handling (Learn More)
Trade & Regulatory
| HS Code | 2918 14 00 |
| UN Number | 1789 |
| ADR Class | 8 |
| Packing Group | III |
| Storage Class | 11 - Combustible Solids |
| WGK (Germany) | 1 |
Documentation
Other Names
H3cit|E 330|beta-hydroxytricarballylic acid|3-carboxy-3-hydroxypentane-1,5-dioic acid|2-hydroxytricarballylic acid|2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid|anhydrous citric acid|Citric acid, anhydrous|E330
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