FAO Nutrition Meetings
    Report Series No. 40A,B,C
    WHO/Food Add./67.29




    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    ANTIMICROBIALS, ANTIOXIDANTS, EMULSIFIERS,
    STABILIZERS, FLOUR-TREATMENT AGENTS, ACIDS AND BASES





    The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met at Rome,
    13-20 December, 19651 Geneva, 11-18 October, 19662




                   

    1 Ninth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1966 No. 40; 
    Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 1966, 339

    2 Tenth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1967, in press; 


    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
    World Health Organization
    1967


    CITRIC ACID

    Chemical name        Citric acid; 2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic
                         acid; ß-hyroxytricarballylic acid

    Empirical formula    (a)  C6H8O7 (anhydrous)

                         (b)  C6H8O7.H2O (monohydrate)

    Structural formula   (a)                     (b)

                          CH2 - COOH                  CH2 - COOH
                          '                           '
                     HO - C - COOH               HO - C-COOH . H2O
                          '                           '
                          CH2 - COOH                  CH2 - COOH

    Molecular weight     (a)  192.13             (b)  210.15

    Definition           Citric acid my be anhydrous or it my contain one
                         molecule of water. Citric acid contains not less
                         than 99.5 per cent. of C6H8O7, calculated on
                         an hydrous basis.

    Description          Citric acid is a white or colourless, odourless,
                         crystalline solid.

    Biological Data

         Biological data are given in the Sixth Report o£ the Joint
    FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (FAO/WHO, 1962).

    Re-evaluation

         The committee considered that citric acid and its calcium,
    potassium and sodium salts do not constitute a significant
    toxicological hazard to man.

    Evaluation

         Not limited.

    REFERENCES

    FAO/WHO (1962) FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, No, 31; 
    Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 228
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Citric acid (ICSC)
       CITRIC ACID (JECFA Evaluation)