Citric Acid

General Description
Citric Acid is a versatile, multifunctional organic acid widely utilized across the personal care, food, and pharmaceutical industries. It serves as a critical stabilizing agent, primarily focused on optimizing formulation environments, protecting ingredient integrity, and extending product shelf life.

Mechanisms of Action

• pH Regulation & Buffering:
  Precisely adjusts and maintains the pH of formulations within an optimal range. It creates a stable acidic environment that prevents the hydrolytic degradation or destabilization of active ingredients and surfactants caused by pH imbalances.

• Chelation (Sequestration):
  Acts as a potent chelating agent that binds and neutralizes trace heavy metal ions. By inactivating these metal catalysts, it effectively retards lipid oxidation and prevents the degradation of sensitive active compounds, protecting the product from discoloration and rancidity.

• Synergistic Preservation:
  Enhances the efficacy of antimicrobial preservatives. By optimizing the pH environment, it inhibits microbial proliferation and boosts the activity of preservative systems, thereby preventing spoilage and ensuring microbiological safety.

Key Benefits

• Formulation Stability:
  Ensures the long-term physicochemical stability of the product, preventing issues such as phase separation, precipitation, or loss of efficacy over time.

• Antioxidant Protection:
  Indirectly acts as an antioxidant synergist by sequestering metal ions that catalyze oxidation processes.

• Shelf Life Extension:
  Significantly prolongs the shelf life of products by maintaining ingredient potency and preventing microbial contamination.

Applications & Compatibility

• Target Industries: Personal Care (Skincare, Hair Care, Body Wash), Food & Beverage, and Pharmaceuticals.

• Formulation Suitability: Universally compatible and easy to incorporate into water-based systems.

• Primary Functions: pH Adjuster/Buffer, Chelating Agent, Preservative Booster, Stabilizer.