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chlorogenic acid

[klawr-uh-jen-ik, klohr-, klawr-, klohr-]
noun Biochemistry.
  1. a colorless crystalline acid, C16H18O9, that is important in plant metabolism and is purportedly responsible for the browning or blackening of cut apples, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables.
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Origin of chlorogenic acid

1885–90; chloro-1 + -genic; so named because in an ammonia solution it turns green when exposed to air
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018