Acidulants are food additives that can impart sour taste to food and control the growth of microorganisms, and are a type of acidity regulators. The main seasoning in sour food has the effect of increasing appetite and promoting digestion and absorption. In addition to adjusting sourness, it also has the functions of increasing acidity, improving food flavor, inhibiting fungi (preservation), preventing browning, buffering, and chelating.
Classification of acidulants?
Acidulants are classified into two categories according to their composition: organic acids and inorganic acids.
The main naturally occurring organic acids in food, such as citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, etc.; inorganic acids such as phosphoric acid.
Acidulants can be divided into the following categories according to their sour taste:
① Delightful: citric acid, ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, L-malic acid;
②Bitter taste: DL-malic acid;
③Astringent: tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, phosphoric acid;
④Those with pungent odor: acetic acid;
⑤ umami: glutamic acid.
