You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered where to find citric acid at the grocery stores. This is a common problem, especially if it’s your first time getting it from the store. And you might think finding this item will be a challenging, but it’s the complete opposite.
Citric acid is usually found in the baking aisle, where baking supplies are like cake mixes or cookie doughs. If you don’t know where that is, kindly ask the employees for directions.
But what if you can’t find citric acid in the baking aisle?
But there are other places to look for, which we’ll be discussing below.
What Exactly Is Citric Acid?
Citric acid is an organic acid commonly used as a flavoring agent and preservative in foods. It’s also used in various household cleaning products, including drain cleaners.
The taste of citric acid can range from sweet to sour. It’s typically found in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges and other fruits such as limes, grapefruits, and pineapples.
In addition to food uses, citric acid can be used for personal care products like face masks or exfoliating scrubs.
The acidity of citric acid makes it useful as an anti-fungal agent in food production because it inhibits the growth of microorganisms by lowering the pH level of whatever it is added to.
This type of citric acid is safe for consumption.
In contrast, industrial-grade citric acid is made from petroleum products, including gasoline and coal tar pitch. This type of citric acid may contain harmful impurities if ingested or inhaled.
Know the difference between these two to avoid using one in place of the other.
Where To Find Citric Acid At The Grocery Stores
Not everyone has access to these foods every day. If you’re looking for citric acid at the grocery store, here are some places to start your search aside from the baking aisle.
- The juice section – Citric acid is sometimes added to the juice for extra flavor and sweetness.
- The spice aisle – In some cases, you might find citric acid in spices such as paprika or cayenne pepper!
However, if you can’t find citric acid in either of these sections, try looking at online stores or your local health food store.
Does Citric Acid Taste Like Vinegar?
Yes. Vinegar is also acid, but it’s not the same thing.
They’re both made from different things: vinegar comes from alcohol that has been fermented with bacteria; citric acid comes from citrus fruits.
So why do they taste so similar?
The reason is simple: flavor compounds in citrus fruits are similar to those in vinegar. Therefore, if you were to eat something with many citric acids, it would probably taste like vinegar (in a good way)!
What Does Citric Acid Do In Cooking?
Citric acid is an organic compound that’s sometimes used as a food preservative. It’s also used in cooking to lower the pH of foods, making them more acidic.
When you’re cooking, citric acid can help preserve the color and taste of your food by preventing oxidation. It can also help prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that could spoil your food.
What Does Citric Acid Do To Your Body?
In addition to its use as a food additive and preservative, citric acid has other uses:
Boosts your immune system: Citric acid contains important antioxidants that help to boost your immune system and fight off viruses, bacteria, and other harmful substances that might attack your body.
Cleanses your digestive system: It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce inflammation in the stomach lining.
Thus allowing for better digestion of food consumed during meals without having to worry about indigestion later on due to constipation or other problems associated with digestion, such as bloating after eating certain foods which can cause discomfort if not managed properly (especially if you’re pregnant).
Prevents kidney stones from forming due to their ability to reduce uric acid levels within the body (which can cause these painful problems if left untreated).
In cosmetics: Citric acid helps keep skin moisturized by preventing water loss through evaporation.
As an antiseptic: Citric acid is one of the weaker acids commonly used in antiseptics. It disrupts the structure of bacterial cells.
As part of disinfectants: Some cleaning products contain citric acid because it can break down organic matter such as grease and dirt.
What Fruits Have Citric Acid?
Citric acid can be found in many popular fruits, including:
- Lemons
- Limes
- Pineapple juice
- Grapefruits
- Oranges
- Mangos
- Apple juice
- Papayas
- Bananas
- Coconuts
Which Fruit Has The Most Citric Acid?
Ten fruits with the highest concentration of citric acid are:
- Grapefruit
- Mandarin Oranges
- Lemons
- Limes
- Tangerines
- Clementines Oranges
- Blood Oranges (or Moro Blood Orange)
- Orange Juice Concentrate or Frozen Concentrate or Orange Juice From Concentrate (but not fresh orange juice)
- Tangelos Oranges
Conclusion
When you know what to look for and where to find it, the maze of the grocery won’t be a threat anymore.
Like I said earlier, we’re not going to leave you empty-handed. We listed areas where to find citric acid at the grocery store.
And some trustworthy, respectable (online) stores where you can find what you need are Amazon and Walmart.
So now that you have everything you need to know about citric acid, you probably want to get out there and start finding it!
Action speaks louder than words.
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