Malic Acid

Thanks to its properties, Malic Acid has a wide range of applications in the food industry, in animal foodstuffs, In the treatment of metals, in metal plating, in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, and in building materials.

Beverages

• in both liquid beverages and powder drinks as a flavour enhancer, because of its buffer power and to increase the efficacy of antimicrobial preservatives
• in sport drinks – always enables clear solutions to be obtained, without any undesirable cloudness. Powdered drinks containing Mali Acid, instead of other acidulates, such as citric acid, can be stored a long time without any caking problem, since it is anhydrous and non-hygroscopic.
• in law calorie drinks – increasingly used to mask the unpleasant after taste of many artificial sweeteners, thanks to its conger taste retention, which makes the final flavour much smoother and more balanced
• in wine production, the right acidity of the must is essential, not only to control the fermentation process, but also the flavour obtained through againg. An additional advantage in using Malic Acid stems from its ability to form stable iron chelates that prevent the precipitation of iron salts, which in most cases, are the main cause of cloudy wine.
• in the production of branded cider

Confectioneries

• in candies and sweets, the use of Malic Acid is preferable to that of other acidulates because its melting point is lower. Moreover, since the temperature to be reached is rather low, it is possible to avoid caramelization and minimize sugar inversion. Another characteristic of Malic acid, which is very important in these products, is the high solubility of its calcium salts in order to obtain clear, transparent products.
• in chewing-gum, Malic Acid, combined with saccharine, improves salvia stimulation. Moreover by using mixtures of acids with different solubility rates it is possible to make chewing gum whose taste is more or less prolonged.

Desserts – depending on the final product, Malic Acid is used to enhance the taste of the fruit flavours or as a pH adjuster in order to obtain the right gelling rate.

Jams and fruit jellies – Malic Acid is added in these products to compensate for any deficiencies in natural acid cintained in the fruit.

Fruit and vegetables – in the conservation of fruit and vegetables, whether fresh or canned, the use of acidulants is of fundamental importance.

Edible oils and fats – in products of this type, Malic Acid has a synergic effect on the anti-oxidants used to prevent the products from becoming rancid. In addition, during the processing and refining of oils, its chelating properties will eliminate trace elements of metals.

Petfoods – Malic Acid is used in pre-cooked foods for cats and dogs to obtain the pH required for jelling. Moreover Malic Acid improves the flavour which is a very important point especially in the case of cat-food. Recent studies have shown that Malic Acid added to pet foods prevents and even urinary calculosis, a quite frequent disease in cat and dog.

Pharmaceutical and cosmetic products – the use of Malic Acid is worthwhile in this area, because of its ability to enhance the effect of the aroma, used to mask the undesirable tastes and smells of the medicinal, as in throat lozenges and cough syrups. It is also used in effervescent powders and tablets

Industrial Uses – the use of Malic Acid is becoming significant in a number of typically industrial uses:

• in the treatment of metals, such as pickling and descaling, as a substitute for strong inorganic acids, since it has the advantage of being neither corrosive nor toxic. Malic acid is also easily and fully biodegradable
• in the food industry, especially in the manufacture of drinks, the excellent solubility of its calcium salts make it useful for removing lime deposits from plant and equipment
• in the textile industry, as a substitute for acetic or formic acid, since it goes not damage of corrode machinery. It also has the advantage of not generating any unpleasant smells – which is nice for the workers. It may also be included in the chemicals used in textile finishing.
• in plating industry, it is used to correct the pH in plating baths.
• in animal feed, it is used, in combination with other acids, for the acidification of pigs feed
• in the manufacture of plasters and cements for the building industry, it is used, combined with tartaric acid, as s setting retardant.