Citric Acid

Citric acid, found in citrus fruits like lemon and lime, as well as other citruses, including tomato, tropical fruits, berries, etc, is the most common naturally occurring fruit acid.. As a food and beverage ingredient, it is produced commercially by microbial fermentation of a carbohydrate substrate, and is used as a natural preservative and acidulant. This topic discusses the functional roles of citric acid, including taste and flavor enhancement, antioxidant abilities and pH control.

Formulating All-Natural Beverages

Formulating natural beverages, without the benefit of a federal definition of natural. ...More
November 15, 2011
Posted in Articles, Colors, Flavor
Clarifying Clean Labels

Many food and beverage manufacturers are revisiting product formulations and cleaning up product labels by replacing ingredients that have become outdated in the eyes of some consumers. ...More
May 24, 2011
Posted in Articles, Colors, Flavor
Mitigating Off Flavors

Understanding how flavors work—and how they can go astray—can help R&D avoid formulation guesswork and fine-tune product development. ...More
September 24, 2010
Posted in Articles, Bakery / Cereal, Fiber, Flavor
Distinctively Garlic

Garlic can be found in many forms for the product developer: fresh, frozen, shelf stable and dehydrated. ...More
September 21, 2010
Posted in Articles, Flavor, Sauces / Gravies / Soup
Food Gums Protect Tooth Enamel

Citric acid solutions prepared with propylene glycol alginate or gum arabic adsorb reduce the erosive effect of citric acid on enamel. ...More
September 21, 2010
Posted in News
Surprisingly Sweet and Savory

Sweet ingredients like fruit add balance to many savory dishes, while savory ingredients temper the sweetness of items like desserts to add renewed interest in retail and foodservice products. ...More
June 25, 2010
Posted in Articles, Flavor
Snack Meats

Snack Meats January 1999 -- Applications By: Scott Hegenbart Contributing Editor Meat snacks may well be one of the oldest types of snack food. After all, their fundamental processes - salting and drying - date back at least as far as the Middle Ages, possibly earlier. ...More
January 1, 1999 Scott Hegenbart
Posted in Articles
Bulking Agents: Bulking Up While Scaling Down

Bulking Agents: Bulking Up While Scaling Down June 1996 -- Cover Story By: Lynn A. Kuntz Associate Editor* *Editor since August 1996 In simpler times, bulking agents served two elementary functions. They acted as diluents or carriers for microingredients such as colors and ...More
June 1, 1996
Posted in Articles, Fiber
Designing Nature's Way

Designing Nature's Way February 1996 -- Design Elements By: Lynn A. Kuntz Associate Editor A decade ago, natural food products appeared only in health food or specialty stores. They seemed to be hand-crafted by counter-culture types in beads and sandals on some karmic ...More
February 1, 1996
Posted in Articles, Flavor
Getting In The Spirit

Getting In The Spirit December 1995 -- Cover Story By: Scott Hegenbart Editor* *(April 1991-July 1996) Even today's health-conscious consumers have a strong demand for unique alcoholic beverages. Wine coolers, prepared cocktails, and so on, also play into consumer demands ...More
December 1, 1995
Posted in Articles, Flavor