Tartaric acid

Tartaric Acid is a white, crystalline organic acid that occurs naturally in many fruits, most notably in grapes, but also in bananas, tamarinds, and citrus. Its salt, potassium bitartrate, commonly known as cream of tartar, develops naturally in the process of winemaking. It is commonly mixed with sodium bicarbonate and is sold as baking powder used as a leavening agent in food preparation. The acid itself is added to foods as an antioxidant E334 and to impart its distinctive sour taste.

History

Tartaric acid was first isolated from potassium tartrate, known as tartar, around 800 AD by the Persian alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan. The modern process was developed in 1769 by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. The British wine merchant Louis Pasteur was the first to produce tartaric acid using fermentation and aging of wine.

Properties and production

Tartaric acid is a dihydroxy derivative of dicarboxylic acid. It is a useful raw material in organic chemistry for the synthesis of other chiral molecules. The naturally occurring form of the acid is L-(+)-tartaric acid or dextrotartaric acid. The mirror-image form, levotartaric acid or D-(-)-tartaric acid, and the achiral form, mesotartaric acid, do not occur naturally. Tartaric acid is almost always seen as its salt, known as cream of tartar. As a food additive, it is mixed with baking soda to function as a leavening agent.

Uses

Tartaric acid and its salts have a wide range of uses. In food preparation, they are used as a leavening agent, a flavor enhancer, a preservative, and an emulsifier. In winemaking, they are used to improve the taste of the wine and to stabilize the aging process. In pharmaceuticals, they are used as an excipient and an antioxidant. In cosmetics, they are used as an antioxidant and a pH adjuster.

Safety

Tartaric acid is generally considered safe for consumption. However, excessive consumption can lead to tartaric acidemia, a rare metabolic disorder.

See also

• Cream of Tartar
• Winemaking
• Food Additives
• Organic Chemistry

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