Tartaric acid

Wine acid (food additive of E334) - the colourless crystals of white powder which do not have a smell, but possessing very sour taste. From the point of view of chemistry, the additive of E334 is bibasic salt of potash acid with a molecular formula? HOOC-CH-CH-COOH.

Wine acid is widespread in the nature: meets in many fruit freely, sometimes in combination with magnesium, calcium or potassium. Exists in three stereoisomerous forms.

Make wine acid (E334 additive) from various raw materials. It can be waste of the wine-making industry, for example, a wine stone or tartrate lime. Also dried wine yeast or, extremely seldom, fresh fruit is used.

Wine acid is muscular toxin which in high doses causes paralysis and death. The lethal dose for the person makes 7,5 g/kg of a body of the person. Taking into account this figure it is possible to count that "to kill" the person it is necessary to use more than 500 g of wine acid one-time. Since in the food industry the additive of E334 is used in much smaller doses it carry to a class of safe.

In the food industry wine acid is used as the regulator of acidity and antioxidant by production of canned food, jams, jelly and various confectionery. The additive of E334 is added at production of drinks and table waters, finds broad application in the sphere of winemaking. Wine acid is one of components of tart taste in wine.

Other use of wine acid:

• in pharmaceutical industry, for production of soluble drugs, sparkling tablets and some other preparations;
• in the cosmetology industry, for production of creams and face and body lotions;
• in the textile industry, for dyeing of fabrics;
• in analytical chemistry, for detection of sugars and aldehydes.