Food additive of vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is the most commercially important vitamin use as a food additive in terms of volume. Vitamin C is used as an antimicrobial and antioxidant in foods. It is preferentially oxidized in place or other substrates and complements very well as a synergist to other antioxidants, such as BHA and BHT in polyphase food system.

The addition of vitamin C to meat is to improve color, flavour and odor as well as lowering the amount of nitrite which has to be used in curing.

Ascorbic acid

Vitamin C occurs naturally in citrus fruits, berries and most other fruits. It is commercially produce exclusively from glucose to sorbitol.

The most important applications for vitamin C include fruit juices, fruit flavored drinks, juice added sodas and dry cocktail or beverage power mixes. Vitamin C is very widely used in bread baking, where it is present as a ‘flour improver’.
Food additive of vitamin C

Food uses of ascorbic acid

Ascorbic acid is a widely used food additive with many functional roles, many of which are based upon its oxidation –reduction properties.

It is the naturally occurring L-ascorbic acid. It is freely soluble in water and sparingly soluble in ethanol.

Its functional roles include its uses as a nutritional food additive, antioxidant, browning inhibitor, reducing agent, flavor stabilizer, modifier and enhancer, color stabilizer, dough modifier and many other capacities.

Ascorbic acid is used as an antimicrobial and antioxidant in foods. It is preferentially oxidized in place of other substrates and complements very well as a synergist to other antioxidants, such as BHA and BHT in polyphase food systems.

Ascorbic and its sodium and calcium salts are used as nutritive additives. Whenever there is a need to preserve the vitamin content in fortified foods, the D isomer of ascorbic acid, isoascorbate or eyrthrobate, is incorporated with ascorbic acid.

Ascorbic acid is very widely used in bread making, where it is present as a ‘flour improver’. In practice, this means that the addition of ascorbic acid improves the bread texture and the size of the resulting loaf, the dough has greater elasticity, increased gas retention, and improved water absorption.
Food uses of ascorbic acid