Food & Beverage / Solution Family

Acids & Salts

Food-grade acidulants, citrate and phosphate buffers, carbonate leavening bases, weak-acid preservative salts, and metal sequestrants for food and beverage manufacturing.

Overview

Food-grade acids and salts are the additives that set pH, hold itnagainst drift, preserve at low pH, and lock up trace metals in food and beveragenproduction. The family spans four working jobs: acidulants that drop pHnand add tartness (citric, fumaric), carbonate and bicarbonate bases that raise pHnand leaven, weak-acid preservative salts (potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate) thatnact below their dissociation point, and phosphate or citrate sequestrants that tienup calcium and iron. Most formulations draw on more than one job at once.

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Acidulant choice is a real trade-off. Citric acid is the default u2014 soluble,nclean-tasting, and a mild sequestrant u2014 but it draws moisture and can cake in drynmixes. Fumaric acid delivers more titratable acidity per pound and resists caking,nyet dissolves slowly and needs heat or fine milling. For a dry beverage mix ornfruit filling, specify fumaric where shelf flow matters; reach for citric wherenfast cold-water solubility wins.

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On the preservation side, sorbate and benzoate work only in their undissociatednacid form, so they lose activity as pH climbs above roughly 4.5 to 6. Pair themnwith an acidulant to keep pH in range. Sequestrants such as sodium hexametaphosphatenand the citrates protect color and flavor by binding the iron and copper that drivenoxidation. Sodium nitrite and the sulfites carry use-level limits and labelingnrules; confirm regulatory status for your application and jurisdiction.

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Recommended Chemistries
40 materials
Acetic Acid (Glacial Acetic Acid, Ethanoic Acid)
CAS 64-19-7
pH Adjustment Quick view
Ammonium Carbonate (Lump, ACS Reagent)
CAS 506-87-6
pH Adjustment Quick view
Ammonium Carbonate (Powder, NF)
CAS 10361-29-2
pH Adjustment Quick view
Ammonium Citrate Dibasic (Diammonium Citrate)
CAS 3012-65-5
Chelation / Sequestration Quick view
Calcium Ascorbate
CAS 5743-28-2
Preservation Quick view
Calcium Chloride
CAS 10043-52-4
Viscosity Modification Quick view
Calcium Citrate (Tricalcium Citrate)
CAS 813-94-5
pH Adjustment Quick view
Calcium Citrate Tetrahydrate (Tricalcium Citrate Tetrahydrate)
CAS 5785-44-4
Chelation / Sequestration Quick view
Citric Acid (E330)
CAS 77-92-9
Acidulant & mild sequestrant Quick view
Erythorbic Acid (Isoascorbic Acid, D-Araboascorbic Acid)
CAS 89-65-6
Preservation Quick view
Fumaric Acid (trans-Butenedioic Acid)
CAS 110-17-8
Dry-mix acidulant Quick view
Glycyrrhizic Acid (Glycyrrhizin)
CAS 1405-86-3
Conditioning Quick view
Lactic Acid
CAS 50-21-5
pH Adjustment Quick view
Magnesium Malate
CAS 869-06-7
pH Adjustment Quick view
Monosodium Phosphate (MSP, Sodium Phosphate Monobasic)
CAS 7558-80-7
Phosphate buffer Quick view
n-Butyric Acid (Butyric Acid, Butanoic Acid)
CAS 107-92-6
pH Adjustment Quick view
Peracetic Acid (Peroxyacetic Acid, PAA)
CAS 79-21-0
pH Adjustment Quick view
Phosphoric Acid (Orthophosphoric Acid)
CAS 7664-38-2
pH Adjustment Quick view
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
CAS 34424-97-0
Surfactancy Quick view
Potassium Carbonate (Dipotassium Carbonate)
CAS 584-08-7
Alkalizer (cocoa dutching) Quick view
Potassium Citrate (Tripotassium Citrate Monohydrate)
CAS 6100-05-6
Chelation / Sequestration Quick view
Potassium Citrate (Tripotassium Citrate, Anhydrous)
CAS 866-84-2
Low-sodium buffer salt Quick view
Potassium Metabisulfite (Potassium Pyrosulfite)
CAS 16731-55-8
Preservation Quick view
Potassium Sorbate (E202)
CAS 24634-61-5
Weak-acid preservative salt Quick view
Sodium Benzoate (Benzoate of Soda)
CAS 532-32-1
Low-pH preservative salt Quick view
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda, Bicarbonate of soda)
CAS 144-55-8
Chemical leavening base Quick view
Sodium Bisulfite (Sodium Hydrogen Sulfite)
CAS 7631-90-5
Preservation Quick view
Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash, Calcined soda)
CAS 497-19-8
Alkalizer (dough/noodle pH) Quick view
Sodium Carbonate Monohydrate (Soda Ash)
CAS 5968-11-6
pH Adjustment Quick view
Sodium Citrate (Trisodium Citrate)
CAS 68-04-2
Buffer & calcium sequestrant Quick view
Sodium Erythorbate
CAS 6381-77-7
Preservation Quick view
Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP)
CAS 10124-56-8
Polyphosphate sequestrant Quick view
Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda Beads)
CAS 1310-73-2
pH Adjustment Quick view
Sodium Nitrite
CAS 7632-00-0
Preservation Quick view
Sodium Sulfite
CAS 7757-83-7
Preservation Quick view
Stannous Chloride Dihydrate (Tin(II) Chloride)
CAS 10025-69-1
Preservation Quick view
Urea (Carbamide)
CAS 57-13-6
Moisture Control Quick view
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
CAS 50-81-7
Antioxidant acidulant Quick view
Zinc Citrate (Trizinc Dicitrate)
CAS 546-46-3
Biocidal Action Quick view
Zinc Citrate Trihydrate (Trizinc Dicitrate Trihydrate)
CAS 5990-32-9
pH Adjustment Quick view
Where it's used
  • Beverage and confectionery acidulation u2014 setting tart profile and dropping pH for flavor and stability
  • Citrate and phosphate buffering in dairy and processed foods to hold a target pH
  • Chemical leavening and dough/noodle pH control with bicarbonate and carbonate bases
  • Low-pH preservation of sodas, syrups, dressings and condiments with sorbate and benzoate salts
  • Metal sequestration in dressings, brewing and canned goods to protect color and flavor
Frequently asked questions
Which acid should I use to lower the pH of a beverage?
Citric acid is the usual first choice: it is highly soluble in cold water, clean-tasting, and drops pH into the 3-4 band while adding a mild sequestrant effect. Fumaric acid gives more titratable acidity per pound and resists caking in dry mixes, but dissolves slowly and benefits from heat or fine milling. Pick citric for fast cold solubility, fumaric for dry-blend shelf stability.
Do potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate work at any pH?
No. Both act in their undissociated acid form, so activity falls as pH rises. Sodium benzoate is most effective below about pH 4.5; potassium sorbate works up to roughly pH 6. Pair either with an acidulant to keep the system in range. This is a function statement, not a safety or efficacy claim; confirm regulatory status for your application and jurisdiction.
Does RawSource supply food-grade acids and salts in bulk?
Yes. RawSource sources food-grade acidulants, citrate and phosphate buffers, carbonate leavening bases, sorbate and benzoate preservative salts, and phosphate/citrate sequestrants in bulk, with documentation. Send your CAS, grade and packaging needs (bags, drums, totes, supersacks) for a bulk RFQ.
Are any acids and salts in this family use-restricted?
Some are. Sodium nitrite is a use-level-restricted curing salt; the sulfites (metabisulfite, bisulfite, sulfite) are allergen-declarable and subject to labeling rules. We state their technical function only and recommend you confirm regulatory status and permitted use levels for your application and jurisdiction.
Related insights
Disclaimer. Information on this page is provided for general reference and compiled from authoritative public sources (e.g. PubChem/ECHA). Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you purchase governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, and confirm regulatory status, classification, and suitability for your application and jurisdiction.
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