Sodium Citrate

Chemical Name: Sodium citrate (Trisodium citrate)

CAS Registry Number: 68-04-2

Synonyms:

1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, trisodium salt; Citric acid, trisodium salt; Sodium citrate; Sodium citrate anhydrous; Trisodium citrate; Citrato de trisodio, dihidrato; Citrate de trisodium, dihydrate; Trisodio citrato diidrato; Trinatriumcitraatdihydraat

Applications

Food & Beverage

Sodium citrate dihydrate is the most widely used emulsifying salt in sliced processed cheese products. It is commonly used as a buffering agent in combination with citric acid to provide precise pH control required in many food and beverage applications.

Trisodium citrate is often referred to as sodium citrate, though sodium citrate can refer to any of the three sodium salts of citric acid. Sodium citrate has a saline, mildly tart flavor. It is mildly basic and can be used along with citric acid to make biologically compatible buffers.

Sodium citrate is primarily used as a food additive, usually for flavor or as a preservative. In certain varieties of club soda, sodium citrate is employed as a flavoring agent. Sodium citrate is a common ingredient in Bratwurst, and is also used to contribute a tart flavor in commercial, ready-to- drink beverages and drink mixes. It is found in gelatin mix, ice-cream, jams, sweets, milk powder, processed cheeses, carbonated beverages, and wine.

Sodium Citrate is also used as an emulsifier for oils in the cheesemaking process. Sodium citrate allows cheese to melt without becoming greasy. Historically, sodium phosphate was used to keep water and fat droplets mixed when cheese is melted.

Soy Products Bakery Flavors

Table Top Product Dairy Confectionery

Fruits, Vegetables Meat, Seafood , Cereals, Snacks Desserts, Ice Cream Ready Meals, Instant Food

Fruit Preparations, Sweet Spreads Baby Food, Infant Formula

Sauces, Dressings, Seasoning

The main functions of citric acid and the citrates in foods and beverages can be summarized as follows:

• as a flavor adjunct, to improve taste
• as a pH control agent, e.g., for gelation control, buffering and preservative enhancement
• as a chelating agent to improve the action of antioxidants and prevent spoilage of foods such as seafood

Beverages

Alcoholic Beverages Carbonated Soft Drinks

Instant Drinks, Syrups, Juice Drinks

Tea and Coffee, Sports and Energy Drinks

Waters

Within this market, citric acid or its salts perform several functions. The dominant application is for flavor enhancement. Many of the lemon, lime or citrus soft drinks available today use citric acid as a way of enhancing the tangy, zesty flavor consumers associate with these tropical fruit flavors. Additionally, citric acid can help provide consistency in acidity and flavor of fruit juices or fruit cordials.

If used together with sodium citrate, it is possible for citric acid to help maintain the flavor of other types of soft drinks without adding to the tanginess. Sodium citrate can also provide a cool saline taste.

Healthcare

Effervescent tablets and preparations: The reaction of citric acid and bicarbonate liberates carbon dioxide, which aids the dissolution of active ingredients and improves palatability. Effervescent systems are widely used in denture-cleaning products, as well as pain relief and vitamin tablets.

Pharmaceutically active substances — many are supplied as their citrate salt.

pH control: Citric acid, with sodium or potassium citrate, is an efficient buffering system used in a variety of pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications for improving stability and (where appropriate) enhancing the activity of preservatives.

Flavor: The sharp, acid taste of citric acid (which is often used to enhance fruit flavors) can help mask the unpleasant, medicinal taste of pharmaceuticals.

Antioxidant: The citrate ion is a powerful chelating agent for trace metal ions.

Blood anticoagulant: The citrate ion will chelate calcium, thereby reducing the tendency for blood to clot.

Diuretic – potassium citrate has diuretic properties.

Clinical Nutrition Medical Devices

OTC, Food Supplements Pharmaceutical Products

Color Cosmetics Deodorants

Fragrances Hair Care

Oral Care Skin Care Soap and Bath Products

Cleaners & Detergents

The major components of cleaning products are surfactants and builders. Other ingredients are added to provide a variety of functions, e.g., increasing cleaning performance for specific soils/surfaces, ensuring product stability, and supplying a unique identity to a product.

Complex phosphates and sodium citrate are common sequestering builders. Builders enhance or maintain the cleaning efficiency of the surfactant. The primary function of builders is to reduce water hardness. This is done either by sequestration or chelation (holding hardness minerals in solution); by precipitation (forming an insoluble substance); or by ion exchange (trading electrically charged particles). Builders can also supply and maintain alkalinity, which assists cleaning, especially of acid soils; help keep removed soil from redepositing during washing, and emulsify oily and greasy soils.

Dish Washing Industrial Cleaners

Laundry Care Surface Care

Industrial

Citric acid is employed as an industrial cleaner to clear steam blocks and hot water systems of calcium and rust layers. As a chemical polish, citric acid is used to treat aluminum, copper and other metal surfaces. Citric acid and citrates are used as buffering and complexing agents in electro-plating baths. The building and textile industries also take advantage of citric acid’s outstanding chelating ability as well as its non-toxicity. Examples include set retarding of gypsum plasters and textile finishing. Further industrial applications of citric acid and citrates range from desulphurisation of flue gas and oil recovery to the decontamination of radioactive nuclear reactor materials.

Adhesives, Sealants, Agrochemicals, Fertilizers

Construction, Fine Chemicals

Inks, Paints, Coatings, Metal Surface Treatment

Oil Drilling Ore Mining and Refining

Paper, Plastics, Polymers

Textile, Leather

Packaging is available in 25KG, 1000KG and 1100KG bags.