Insiders explain the difference between citric acid and sodium citrate in detail.

The main differences are different properties, physical and chemical properties, safety and applicability, as follows:

First, the nature is different.

1, citric acid

Citric acid is an important organic acid and its calcium salt is more soluble in cold water than in hot water. This characteristic is often used to identify and separate citric acid. Anhydrous citric acid can be obtained by controlling proper temperature during crystallization.

2. Sodium citrate

Sodium citrate is the most important citrate, which is mainly produced by starch fermentation and then neutralized with alkaline substances. It has many unique and excellent properties. ?

Second, physical and chemical properties are different.

1, citric acid

Citric acid is colorless translucent crystal, white particles or white crystalline powder, odorless and extremely acidic. It can exist in the form of anhydrate or monohydrate. When citric acid crystallizes from hot water, it forms anhydrate. Crystallization in cold water produces monohydrate. When heated to 78℃, monohydrate will decompose into anhydrate. Citric acid can also be dissolved in anhydrous ethanol at 65438 05℃.

2. Sodium citrate

It is white cubic crystal or granular powder, odorless, cool, salty and slightly spicy. The relative molecular mass is 357. 1. 1g(25℃) can be dissolved in 1.5ml water, insoluble in ethanol and stable in air. The crystal water lost at 1450℃ becomes anhydrous and decomposes at higher temperature. No melting point, no boiling point. It can be used as acidity regulator, buffer, emulsifier and stabilizer.

Third, the security is different.

1, citric acid

Citric acid is an edible acid, which can enhance the normal metabolism in the body. Proper dosage is harmless to the human body. Although citric acid has no direct harm to human body, it can promote the excretion and deposition of calcium in the body. For example, long-term consumption of foods containing citric acid may lead to hypocalcemia and increase the risk of duodenal cancer.

2. Sodium citrate

Because the raw materials for preparing sodium citrate are basically from grains, it is absolutely safe and reliable, and will not cause harm to human health. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization have no restrictions on its daily intake, so it can be considered as drug-free.

Fourth, the applicability is different.

1, citric acid

It has many uses in industry, food industry, cosmetics industry and so on. ?

2. Sodium citrate

Commonly used as buffer, complexing agent and bacterial culture medium, it is used in medicine for diuresis, expectorant, sweating and prevention of blood coagulation, and also used in food, beverage, electroplating, photography and so on.

Baidu encyclopedia-citric acid

Baidu encyclopedia-sodium citrate