Citric Acid Powder, 5 Pounds – Anhydrous, Fine Granules, Food Grade Lemon Salt, Great for Cheese Making, Good for Bath Bombs, Kosher, Sour Salt in Bulk

Vitamin C Vs. Pure Citric Acid Vs. Ascorbic Acid

People often get confused regarding ascorbic acid, vitamin C, and citric acid as some sources use these terms interchangeably. However, you must understand the difference so that you can safely plan your diet and other uses for the amazing substance that is citric acid.

First of all, the terms ‘vitamin C’ and ‘ascorbic acid’ really can be used as substitutes for one another as ascorbic acid is a variety of this vitamin. For all intents and purposes, they are the same thing, and most products that contain vitamin C usually have a high content of ascorbic acid.

Citric acid is different, though it’s a naturally occurring element present in citrus fruits alongside ascorbic acid. This substance is what makes these foods tart, and ascorbic acid is actually very bitter to taste.

Both these substances are used in a variety of food products. However, while citric acid is a flavoring and preservative, ascorbic acid is a nutrient. As vitamin C is water-based and evaporates during the processing of most products. The foods containing it are later enriched with ascorbic acid to make up for the loss.


Is Citric Acid a Preservative?

Citric acid is a natural preservative included in a great number of commercially produced foods. You can use it yourself to extend the shelf life of your canned goods as well as grilled of smoked meat.

Use it as a preservative for jerky (1½ oz. per 100 lbs. of meat) or to keep some fresh produce (apples, bananas, etc.) from browning.


Why Is Citric Acid Added to Food?

Unless it’s acting as a preservative, citric acid is mostly added to food as a flavoring. It can help you give a pleasantly tart flavor to a variety of dishes and it fares extremely well in various drinks. Commercially, it’s used in many types of soft drinks to extend their shelf life and make them tart and frizzy.

It’s often included in ice cream, where it acts as an emulsifying agent and prevents fats from separating. You can often find that citric acid powder is included in caramel as it keeps sucrose from crystallizing, thus helping the sweet retain its texture.

How to Use Citric Acid

When used as a culinary ingredient, Citric Acid from Food To Live can substitute vinegar or lemon juice in some recipes. It can also help you give the dish a tart flavor, which is a great option for many soups, especially those including beets as they tend to be too sweet.

The acidic power of the substance allows it to be used in some baking recipes where it’ll be a part of the chemical reaction, which helps make the dough fluffy.

Note that you can use citric acid as a firming agent in some foods, like jellos.

When cooking with citric acid, you must be careful not to go overboard as the powder’s taste is rather intense. You’ll only need half a teaspoon of citric acid to get the same amount of actual acid as you’d get from 2 tablespoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice.

• Firming agent for canned tomatoes. Use ½ teaspoon per quart. The acid will also act as a preservative and help keep your delicious canned goodness for many months.
• If you eat meat, spray it with a mild citric acid solution (1 ounce per 1 quart water) before cooking. This will not only help from the preservation and flavor point of view. The acid will also help kill any harmful bacteria. It’s the same for fish, and citric acid is essential for enhancing its taste.
• When making a cheese sauce, add a ½ teaspoon of citric acid dissolved in 1-2 spoonfuls of filtered water. It will neutralize casein and help make your sauce more smooth and thick.
• Substitute salt with citric acid in rye and sourdough breads to enhance their taste.

7 Ideas on How to Use Citric Acid for Cleaning

Citric acid crystals make a great helper for housecleaning. The substance is a naturally potent chelating agent, which means that it binds tiny metal particles and makes them soluble. This is what allows it make the water ‘soft’. Your house benefits from this because the chelating effect of citric acid helps prevent the buildup of limescale in boilers, evaporators, and other similar appliances.

Citric acid can be incorporated into almost every type of cleaning solution. In fact, it’s one of the active ingredients in ‘green’ alternatives to chemical cleansers. Using solutions based on citric acid is safe for people with allergies as well as pregnant women and kids.

1. Scrub off stains and adhesives from various surfaces using citric acid crystals as a cleaning powder.
2. Dissolved in water it will make a cleansing solution capable of dissolving grease, so you can use it to wash dishes, floors, tabletops, etc.
3. Put 2 tablespoons of citric acid powder into the washing powder receptacle of your washing machine and run the longest cycle with the hottest water setting. This will both descale and disinfect the ‘insides’ of the appliance.
4. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of citric acid in a liter of warm water and sprinkle onto taps, shower walls and doors, etc. Leave for a few minutes and wipe the surfaces to remove dirt and mineral deposits.
5. Make a ‘lighter’ solution dissolving 2 tablespoons of granular citric acid in 2 liters of water and use the solution to wash windows quickly and efficiently.
6. Remove wine stains from various fabrics making a mix of citric acid and baking soda (1:2). Put the dry mix onto the stain and sprinkle with hot water so that it starts to fizz. Leave for about 5 minutes before scrubbing away with a brush. Repeat is necessary, but be careful as this might cause discoloration of the fabric.
7. Clean your toilet by sprinkling its insides with about ¾ cup of citric acid powder and leaving overnight. Flush and brush it first thing in the morning.