E330 · CAS 77-92-9

Citric Acid Anhydrous

Citric Acid Anhydrous is a tribasic α-hydroxy carboxylic acid widely used as an acidulant, pH regulator, flavour enhancer, and chelating agent across food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal-care formulations.

The molecule has the formula C₆H₈O₇ and a molar mass of 192.12 g/mol. It carries three sequential dissociation constants (pKa1 3.13, pKa2 4.76, pKa3 6.40), which gives it strong buffering capacity over the acidic to mildly acidic pH range.

The anhydrous form contains no water of crystallisation. It is produced by crystallisation above 36.6 °C and is preferred where moisture sensitivity, low-water dosing, or dry-blend uniformity matters.

We source bulk Citric Acid Anhydrous from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Shandong. For this ingredient the minimum order is 5,000 kg and a 20-foot container takes 25 MT, and a smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.

Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.

or call +86-21-6858 0751

Minimum order: 5,000 kg
Qty in 20' FCL: 25 MT
Packaging: 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner

ISO 9001
HACCP
Halal
Kosher

Specifications

Item	Specification
Appearance	White crystalline powder
Purity (Food Grade)	99.5% min
Purity (Pharmaceutical Grade)	99.5% min
Moisture/Loss on Drying	0.5% max
pH	2.2 - 2.5
Ash	0.1% max
Heavy Metals	10 ppm max
Lead	2 ppm max
Arsenic	1 ppm max
Total Plate Count	1000 cfu/g max
Yeast & Mold	100 cfu/g max

Common Markets Grades

Citric Acid Anhydrous is graded at a minimum assay of 99.5 percent on the dry basis, with residue on ignition below 0.05 percent and a defined sulfated-ash limit.

Particle-size grades cover fine powder (typically 30 to 100 mesh), standard granular (12 to 40 mesh), and coarse granular (8 to 30 mesh). Coarse grades favor free flow in dry blends and effervescent tablet feeds, while fine grades dissolve more quickly in cold beverage premixes.

Food, USP, BP, FCC, and Ph. Eur. grades share the same chemical specification but differ in documentation, heavy-metal limits, and microbial criteria. Pharmaceutical grades meet additional limits on oxalate and tightened residual-solvent control.

A separate non-GMO variant is produced for clean-label beverage and infant-nutrition use. Halal and Kosher certificates are routinely available where the fermentation substrate qualifies.

Applications

Carbonated soft drinks, flavoured waters, and energy drinks for tartness and pH adjustment to 2.5 to 3.5
Effervescent tablets and powder sachets, paired with sodium bicarbonate to generate the CO₂ release on dissolution
Dry beverage mixes, instant tea, and powdered lemonade where low moisture content prevents caking
Jams, jellies, fruit preserves, and pectin gels for acid-set gelation and Brix-acid balance
Confectionery: hard candies, gummies, sour coatings, and chewy fruit pastes
Canned fruits and vegetables for colour retention through anti-browning chelation of trace iron and copper
Processed cheese and analogue cheese as a calcium-sequestering melting salt component
Wine acidification and pH correction in low-acid musts, where regulations permit
Pharmaceutical syrups, chewable tablets, and oral rehydration salts as a flavour and stability agent
Cosmetic creams, shampoos, and bath bombs as a pH adjuster and effervescent reactant
Household cleaners and dishwasher tablets for limescale removal and metal-ion chelation
Metal-finishing baths and citrate-based passivation processes

Brands Using Citric Acid Anhydrous

Widely-distributed consumer products that list Citric Acid Anhydrous on the ingredient label.

Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.

China Manufacturers of Citric Acid Anhydrous

Top Citric Acid Anhydrous manufacturers in China.

Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.

How We Help Source Citric Acid Anhydrous

Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Citric Acid Anhydrous out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Citric Acid Anhydrous together with other ingredients such as Calcium Acetate, Citric Acid and Glucono-Delta-Lactone into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.

Regulatory Status

Citric acid is one of the most universally permitted food additives in the world.

In the European Union, Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 lists it as E330 and authorises it at quantum satis in nearly all food categories. It is permitted in foods for infants and young children within defined limits set by the relevant compositional regulations.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration affirms citric acid as Generally Recognized as Safe under 21 CFR 184.1033 for use as a multipurpose ingredient. It also appears in numerous specific 21 CFR provisions covering processed foods, cheese, and beverages.

JECFA has reviewed citric acid and placed it in the ADI 'not specified' category, the agency's least restrictive designation, reflecting its long history of safe use and metabolic role in the citric-acid cycle.

Monographs appear in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP), and the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC). Halal and Kosher certifications are widely available.

Manufacturing Process

Citric Acid Anhydrous Manufacturing Process

Loading process diagram…

Essentially all commercial citric acid is produced by submerged aerobic fermentation of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger.

The substrate is a sugar feed (sucrose from cane or beet molasses, glucose from corn or cassava starch hydrolysates, or sometimes a glucose syrup blend). Trace-metal levels, particularly iron and manganese, are kept very low because excess manganese strongly inhibits citrate accumulation.

Fermentation runs at 28 to 32 °C and pH 2 to 3 for 5 to 10 days. The broth is then filtered to remove mycelium, and citric acid is recovered classically by precipitating calcium citrate and then releasing the acid with sulphuric acid, or in newer plants by solvent extraction with long-chain tertiary amines or by ion-exchange chromatography.

The clarified citric acid solution is concentrated, decolorised over activated carbon, and crystallised above 36.6 °C to deliver the anhydrous form. Centrifugation, drying, and sieving give the finished granular or powdered product.