Citric Acid Ester; Used In Plasticizers, Food Additives, Lubricants, and Plastics, Among Others
Citric Acid Ester |
Citric
Acid Ester, or ester of
citric acid, is
mostly utilized as a food additive, as a foam stabilizer, as a pharmaceutical coating
plasticizer for polyvinyl chloride, and in other comparable plastics. Citric acid is an
acid that is found naturally in all citrus fruits. It is the most widely used
acid in the food industry. Naturally occurring in citrus fruit, citric acid is used
as an acidifier, emulsifier, flavoring agent, or as a natural preservative in
the food industry. Citric acid ester is also used in e-cigarette fluids as a
fictitious emulsifier. Thus, there is an increase in demand worldwide.
Citric acid is a synthesized by reacting
citric acid with ethyl alcohol that is called esterification, a chemical
process that combines citrus extracts and ethyl alcohol, produces Citric
Acid Ester. Wine and cherries both naturally contain the
compound. Citric acid ester is used in plasticizers, plastics, lubricants, food
additives, and pharmaceutical coatings, among other things. Esters help enhance
flavor and are especially useful as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers are FDA approved
food additives that help products containing immiscible food ingredients to combine.
Citrate esters are considered functional
alternatives to phthalate plasticizers, however their toxicity remains poorly
understood. Citric Acid Ester have
been proposed as a class of phthalate substitute plasticizers; however,
information on their occurrence in indoor environments is rare. CITREM is an
emulsifier used in the food industry and contains citric acid esters. CITREM helps a
mixture containing fats and water stay blended. It is generally recognized as
safe (GRAS) by the U.S. FDA. DATEM is another emulsifier like CITREM that is
found in some formulas.
Moreover, Citric Acid Ester offer a range of benefits when used as
plasticizers, solvent alternatives, lubricant additives and performance
enhancers in aqueous & solvent-based polymer formulations. In 2020, Germany
imported US$ 48.7 million in salts and esters of citric acid, becoming the 2nd
largest importer of salts & esters of citric acid in the world.
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