Because most foods have a pH below 7.0, the food industry has designated 4.6 as being neutral. Controlling the pH through the addition of acidulants helps to determine both the flavor and the microbial stability of a food product. Citric acid is the most widely used food acidulant and was initially extracted from lemons or other citrus fruit. Today, citric acid is produced primarily through the fermentation of sucrose. Food Scientists choose the appropriate flavor profile of different acids when designing food products.
Acetic acid gives a distinctive vinegar note, while citric acid gives a sharp, clean bite.
The acid taste lingers with fumaric acid, unlike with citric where it dissipates quickly. The acidity of malic acid seems to build slowly, but then has lingering effect. Click here for a list of foods and their respective pH values. The information contained herein is presented in good faith and is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical or related technical advice. Copyright 2000 everything about food.