Citric acid
Citric acid is a crystalline acidulant used to add controlled acidity to pastry, preserves and other preparations.
About Citric acid
Citric acid is a white or colourless crystalline acid used when a recipe needs a measured source of tartness. It may be recovered from fruit or produced by fermentation. In pastry and modernist cooking it can be added directly, separately from lemon juice, to control acidity and flavour.
The ingredient is sold in dry crystalline forms, including anhydrous and monohydrate citric acid. It dissolves readily in water, but it is not the same thing as a citrus fruit, lemon juice, or a premixed sour seasoning. The amount and balance of acid matter in the particular preparation.
- Ingredient type
- derived ingredient
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Local names for citric acid
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Citric acid nutrition & diet
Nutrition values for a defined form and edible weight have not been added for citric acid yet.
Use the specified dry acid form when comparing a reference record with a recipe; lemon juice and prepared sour mixes include other components. The anhydrous and monohydrate forms should be identified separately where a measurement requires it.
Dietary compatibility
- VeganNot established
- VegetarianNot established
- PescatarianNot established
- KetoNot established
- PaleoNot established
- Low-carbNot established
- HalalNot established
- KosherNot established
For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.
AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.
Sources & review
Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.
Overview references
The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.
No verification date is recorded for this ingredient.