citric acid

American  

noun

1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble powder, C 6 H 8 O 7 ⋅H 2 O, a tribasic acid having a strong acidic taste, an intermediate in the metabolism of carbohydrates occurring in many fruits, especially limes and lemons, obtained chiefly by fermentation of crude sugar or corn sugar: used chiefly in the flavoring of beverages, confections, and pharmaceuticals.

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citric acid British  

noun

1. a water-soluble weak tribasic acid found in many fruits, esp citrus fruits, and used in pharmaceuticals and as a flavouring ( E330 ). It is extracted from citrus fruits or made by fermenting molasses and is an intermediate in carbohydrate metabolism. Formula: CH 2 (COOH)C(OH)(COOH)CH 2 COOH

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citric acid Scientific  

/ sĭt′rĭk /

1. A white, odorless acid that has a sour taste and occurs widely in plants, especially in citrus fruit, and is formed during the Krebs cycle. It is used in medicine and as a flavoring. Ions of citric acid are a by-product of the metabolism of carbohydrates during the Krebs cycle. Chemical formula: C ₆ H ₈ O ₇ .

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Etymology

Origin of citric acid

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

Workers in hazmat suits carefully weigh out magnesium citrate - a compound made by mixing the mineral with citric acid - into shiny, steel containers.

From BBC

Leaching with biocompatible acids like citric acid is one alternative to these processes.

From Science Daily

The team measured the responses of 143 American adults to various levels of citric acid in water.

From Science Daily

The leaching performance of citric acid and ethylene glycol has been explored before, but that approach used more acid and a lower temperature, which proved less effective, Bai said.

From Science Daily

When his team experimentally overexpressed or decreased the gene’s activity, they found that the citric acid concentrations responded accordingly.

From Scientific American