Citric acid: everything you need to know about the food additive found in food and drinks (E330)

Citric acid: everything you need to know about the food additive found in food and drinks (E330)

Citric acid, a useful cleaning product, but also one of the most used food additives in the world. But what are the consequences for health? Does it have beneficial properties or should you be careful?


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Citric acid, a useful cleaning product, but also one of the most used food additives in the world. But what are the consequences for health? Does it have beneficial properties or should you be careful?




If you read commonly used food and drink labels, you will often find the presence of citric acid. But what is this for food additive? Does it have benefits or is it potentially dangerous to health?

Citric acid is found in the list of ingredients of many products: wine and beer, prepackaged fruit and vegetables, hummus, sauces of various kinds, jams as well as products for cleaning the house and for hygiene and beauty. It is probably one of the most common additives used mainly with a preservative and acidifying function.

In food products you can also identify it with the abbreviation E330.

Natural citric acid and artificial citric acid

First of all, a fundamental distinction must be made: not all citric acid is the same. There is the natural one, that is the organic acid present in fruit and vegetables (particularly in citrus fruits) and the citric acid which is reproduced in the laboratory.

Obviously it is one thing to consume foods that naturally contain citric acid and another thing is to take those in which citric acid is added as an additive. The natural one, contained for example in lemon juice, acts as:

  • antioxidant: it therefore means that it is able to protect the body from the damaging effect of free radicals.
  • promotes the heart health and helps in the prevention of cancer and other diseases
  • alkalizing: those who follow the theory of foods with an acidic or basic pH know that those that contain citric acid (such as lemon) are classified as alkalizing and therefore help to reduce the acidity of the body.
  • chelating: citric acid is able to act as a chelator of heavy metals that is it binds with these substances and allows the body to be able to eliminate them better
  • prevents stones: this acid is able to prevent the formation of kidney stones and the formation of uric acid crystals

However, all these benefits are not evident by consuming citric acid reproduced in the laboratory and used as a food additive.



Generally this substance is produced artificially by using certain sugars and making them ferment by the fungus Aspergillus niger (a common black mold). This is the cheapest and easiest way to produce this food additive. But are there any possible health risks in consuming this type of citric acid?

Artificial citric acid: is it harmful to health?

While natural citric acid has only minor contraindications (possible heartburn and erosion of tooth enamel) for the synthetic one the situation could be different.

Although black mold is filtered out, some believe that mycotoxins (microscopic waste products left by the fungus) are not completely eliminated. It is therefore feared that the ingestion or inhalation of these very small substances could create problems especially because molds and mycotoxins are linked to the appearance of respiratory problems, allergies and even chronic diseases.

Among the experts sounding the alarm about artificial citric acid is Maria Vila, a physician at the Chambers Center of Well Being in the United States, who says that exposure to mycotoxins could lead to respiratory problems, chronic fatigue, allergies and other health problems. She also warns that they could also cause irritation or asthma symptoms if citric acid is present in beauty or cleaning products.

It should also be emphasized that the sugar used to produce citric acid comes mainly from beets and corn which are among the most common genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Although some experts worry about the possible consequences of taking artificial citric acid, there is no extensive and definitive research showing a clear correlation between the consumption of this additive and possible health problems. Conversely, there is a study that concluded that citric acid does not harm brain or liver function.



Of course, as always, we advise you to limit the intake of packaged foods rich in additives and preservatives such as citric acid to a minimum. The consumption of fresh and vital foods always remains the best choice.

However, the use of citric acid for household cleaning remains valid and indeed recommended:

  • Citric acid: the thousand uses, advantages, contraindications and where to find it
  • Citric acid: how to use it and why to prefer it to vinegar in cleaning
  • Citric acid do-it-yourself rinse aid for the dishwasher

You may also be interested in learning more about other food additives:

  • Food additives: what they are and the possible effects on health (VIDEO)
  • 7 food additives that increase the risk of autoimmune diseases
  • 5 additives of animal origin: the cruelty you don't expect

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