What Role Does Citric Acid Play in Fruits and Drinks?

[jenil_nz]

hi,
iam doing a investigation in my chemistry class. this investigation is totally independent & there is very little help available frm the teachers. so for the investigation they have given some suitable topics on which i can do my practical & other stuff. the topic i choosed is CITRIC ACID IN DRINKS/FRUITS.

one of the question iam not sure abou8 is WHY CITRIC ACID EXISTS IN LEMON?
the other question is DOES THE AMOUNT OF CITRIC ACID CHANGES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME & IF DOES THEN HOW?

if any1 know something abou8 this topic pls try 2 answer my question.
thanks

 

[quetzalcoatl9]

citric acid is an intermediate in the metabolic TCA cycle, so it is not just specific to fruits. it is a high-energy compound, so maybe it is present in fruits in high amounts as a "reward" to the animal for dispersing the plant's seeds through defecation.

citric acid is also a prochiral compound, which makes it interesting.

limes also make limonene (responsible for the lime-smell) and lemons make lemonene, both a just steroisomers of the same compound. limonen is a terpene that is made through isoprene biosynthesis. the isoprenes come from mevalonate, a 6-carbon compound that doesn't look like its too far away from citric acid, so maybe there is a link there, i don't know. limonene has various properties (antibacterial, etc.)

 

[redwraith94]

AFAIK it is at the peak amount of citric acid in the fruit when the fruit is @ its ripest.

 

[jenil_nz]

limes also make limonene (responsible for the lime-smell) and lemons make lemonene, both a just steroisomers of the same compound. limonen is a terpene that is made through isoprene biosynthesis. the isoprenes come from mevalonate, a 6-carbon compound that doesn't look like its too far away from citric acid, so maybe there is a link there, i don't know. limonene has various properties (antibacterial, etc.)


hi thanks for replyin but the thng u told me can u please explain me in bit simpler form because i didnt understand but thanks again for sort of helping me out

 

[jenil_nz]

hi ,wats the molecular formula of citric acid is it H3C6H5O7 or C6H8O7

 

[quetzalcoatl9]

hi ,wats the molecular formula of citric acid is it H3C6H5O7 or C6H8O7

what you have posted is the same thing...

here is a page on citric acid:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid