Citric acid is the most frequently applied acidity regulator in
food industry, where it serves many different purposes, from acid
and acidity regulation, stabilization, preservation to buffering. Until
recently, citric acid has been regarded as indifferent to the human
organism. This view has been changed by the results of investigations,
which demonstrated, that the addition of citric acid
and glycine to fried starch foods reduces the formation of acrylamide,
a carcinogen arising during baking and frying, also a known
cause of damage to neurons. Although the addition of citric acid
and glycine to fried foods separately affect adversely taste of such
products, the combination of the mentioned two additives reduces
the formation of acrylamide without negative change of the taste
(Low et al., 2006). Another indicated benefit is associated with
nutritional therapy of urinary tract, where citric acid in the form of
citrus fruit juice administrated orally is used to prevent kidney
stone formation. Owing to its capability of binding to the surface of
calcium oxalate crystals, it inhibits their growth and aggregation, as
well as reduces adhesion to renal epithelial cells. Citric acid is