Product

Citric Acid

A natural, multi-functional additive for food and beverage, cleaning and personal care formulations.

What is Citric Acid?

Citric Acid is a mild, naturally occurring acid. It’s found in significant concentrations in citrus fruits and is produced commercially through fermentation. It’s available in two forms, anhydrous and monohydrate, and appears as white granules or crystal grains, with a pH of 3-6.

As a well-established acidulant, chelating agent and pH modifier, it’s one of the most widely used ingredients across personal care, homecare, I&I cleaning, F&B and pharmaceutical formulations.

What is Citric Acid used for?

Citric Acid is an effective additive in certain formulations because it does several things at once and does them reliably across a wide range of product types. In personal care and cosmetics, it’s used as a pH adjuster across skincare, haircare and rinse-off products, bringing formulations into the range where their active ingredients perform as intended. At appropriate concentrations, its classification as an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) also makes it useful for gentle chemical exfoliation.

In homecare and I&I cleaning, it’s one of the most effective descaling agents available. It reacts with Calcium and Magnesium deposits in hard water to break them down and functions as a chelating agent that improves the overall performance of cleaning formulations. Its biodegradability also makes it a strong fit for eco-label product development.

Citric Acid is also widely used in food and beverage manufacturing, where it functions as an acidulant, flavour modifier and preservative across soft drinks, confectionery, sauces and a range of other product types.

Key benefits: Citric Acid

Multifunctional

Citric Acid rarely does just one job in a formulation. Depending on the application, it can act as an acidulant, chelating agent, pH modifier, preservative booster or AHA, often simultaneously. That functional range means you can achieve more with a single, well-understood ingredient rather than layering in multiple actives.

Chelation and descaling

Its chelating properties make it particularly valuable in cleaning formulations, where it binds the metal ions that would otherwise interfere with surfactant performance or reduce the stability of sensitive ingredients. In descaling applications, it reacts with limescale deposits to break them down without the handling risks associated with stronger mineral acids.

Biodegradable

Citric Acid is readily biodegradable, which matters if you’re developing products with environmental claims or working to meet eco-label certification requirements. It’s one of the relatively few functional acids that combine this profile with genuine performance across multiple applications.

Available in two forms

The choice of form gives you flexibility depending on your process conditions and formulation requirements. Anhydrous Citric Acid has a higher purity by weight. It is typically preferred where moisture content is a consideration, while the monohydrate form offers advantages in certain mixing and handling scenarios.

Compliance

Citric Acid has been in use across multiple industries for well over a century. Its regulatory standing is well established across the UK, EU, US and most major global markets, which simplifies compliance work.

Why source your Citric Acid from MegaChem (UK)?

We supply Citric Acid across personal care, homecare, I&I cleaning and pharmaceutical applications, with stock held across our global network to support consistent, reliable delivery. Both anhydrous and monohydrate grades are available, in pack sizes ranging from bags and drums through to IBCs and bulk, so you can work at the right scale for your production volumes. Our team can support you in selecting the right grade and regulatory documentation, and if you’re evaluating Citric Acid for a new formulation, samples are available to help you get started.

Frequently asked questions

What forms of Citric Acid does MegaChem supply?

We supply anhydrous and monohydrate grades, as well as solution. The anhydrous form contains no water, making it well-suited to moisture-sensitive applications. The monohydrate contains a small amount of water within its crystal structure, which is fine in most processes but worth factoring in if your formulation is particularly sensitive to moisture content. If you’re unsure which grade suits your application, our technical team can advise.

What industries is Citric Acid commonly used in?

Citric Acid is used across personal care and cosmetics, homecare, industrial and institutional cleaning, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Its functional versatility means it appears in a wide range of product types within each of these sectors.

What pack sizes are available?

Citric Acid is available in bags, drums, IBCs, poly containers and bulk, giving you the flexibility to order at a volume that suits your production scale, whether you’re at the development stage or in full production.

Is Citric Acid compatible with other common formulation ingredients?

Yes. It works well alongside surfactants, chelating agents and preservative systems, and is widely used in combination with other organic acids and pH-modifying ingredients. Your specific compatibility requirements will depend on your formulation, and our team is happy to support you through that process.

How should Citric Acid be stored?

It should be stored in a cool, dry environment, away from moisture. Anhydrous Citric Acid is hygroscopic and will absorb water from the atmosphere if left exposed, which can affect its handling properties and performance in formulation.

What documentation is available?

We can provide a certificate of analysis, along with safety data sheets and regulatory compliance information for the markets you’re selling into. If you have specific documentation requirements, please discuss these with our team when you get in touch.

Get your Citric Acid from MegaChem (UK)

If you’re sourcing Citric Acid or want to discuss your specification requirements, our team is ready to help. We can arrange samples, advise on the right grade and support you with the technical and compliance documentation you need.