Tartaric acid, Natural
General Product Information
| Article | Tartaric acid, natural |
| Synonyms | E334, 2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioic acid, 2,3-Dihydroxysuccinic acid, Threaric acid, Racemic acid, Uvic acid, Paratartaric acid, Winestone |
| CAS No. | 87-69-4 |
| EEG No. | – |
| EINECS No. | 201-766-0 |
| IMO | – |
| Tariff Code | 29181200 |
| UN No. | – |
| VLG/ADR | – |
Description
Natural tartaric acid is an organic acid that occurs naturally in grapes and other fruits.
It is extracted from the sediments that form during the wine fermentation process, which is why it is also known as tartaric acid.
It is a white, crystalline substance with an acidic taste and is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Tartaric acid plays an important role in the stabilization of wine and in the preparation of various foods and products.
Also available:
Tartaric acid, Natural (Food Grade),
Tartaric acid, Natural (Technical Grade),
Tartaric acid, Synthetic (Pharmaceutical Grade)
Characteristics
- BP Grade: High purity and meets stricter standards for solvent residues and other contaminants.
- High purity: Meets pharmaceutical requirements for use in medicinal applications.
- Odor: Odorless.
- Grade: Pharmaceutical.
- Taste: Sour taste and is very effective as an acidity regulator and stabilizer.
- Racemic mixture: Tartaric acid occurs as a mixture of D and L forms (optically active isomers).
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Chemical Structure | C4H6O6 |
| Molar Weight | 150.09 g/mol |
| Melting Point | 170-171 °C |
| Boiling Point | – |
| Solubility | Highly soluble in water, less soluble in alcohol and ether. |
| Density | – |
| Refractive Index | – |
| pH | Approx. 3.0 (at 10% solution). |
| Color | White |
| Shape | Crystals or a crystalline powder |
Applications
Natural tartaric acid is applied in various ways, for instance:
1. Pharmaceutical Industry
In the Pharmaceutical Industry, tartaric acid is used as an excipient in the production of medicinal salts and as an acid in drug formulations. It is also used in some tablets and in the synthesis of various active ingredients.
2. Cosmetics
Tartaric acid is sometimes used in skin care products because of its exfoliating properties that it helps remove dead skin cells.
3. Food Industry
Tartaric acid is widely used as an acidity regulator (including as food additive E334) in the food industry, particularly in baking powders, candy, gelatin, wine and fruit juices. It is also used to regulate pH in various products.
4. Chemical Industry
Tartaric acid is used as a starting material for the production of other chemicals, such as potassium tartrate and potassium bitartrate, which in turn are important in Agriculture and Industrial Applications.
Interessing Links
- British Pharmacopoeia (BP) of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO) – Guidelines and standards for food additives and food ingredients.
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – For chemical information and regulations.
- European Food Information Council (EFIC) – Food facts for healthy choices.
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) – Information about safety and application of food additives.
- European Pharmacopoeia (EP) of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare.
- PubChem – L-Tartaric acid of the National Library of Medicine by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP)
- Wikipedia – Tartaric acid