How much lime juice to be used iso. citric acid?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the substitution of lime juice for citric acid in the process of making mozzarella cheese. Participants explore the appropriate amount of lime juice needed to replace a specified quantity of citric acid, while also addressing the implications of acidity on cheese curd formation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the equivalent amount of lime juice to use instead of 1 1/4 tsp. of citric acid for mozzarella cheese making.
  • Another participant notes that the citric acid content in lime juice can vary based on factors such as fruit ripeness, suggesting that any values provided would be imprecise and should be expressed as a range.
  • A participant asks for guidance on how to calculate the amount of citric acid needed to lower the pH of 1 liter of milk to around 5.6, indicating uncertainty about the initial pH of the milk.
  • Another response emphasizes the complexity of determining the necessary amount of citric acid, suggesting that using a pH meter or strips would be more effective due to the variability in initial pH levels.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the exact amounts of lime juice or citric acid needed, indicating that there is no consensus on a definitive answer. Multiple viewpoints on the variability of citric acid content and the complexity of pH adjustment remain present.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge that the acidity of lime juice can vary and that the initial pH of milk is unknown, which complicates the calculations for substituting citric acid.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in cheese making, particularly those exploring alternatives to citric acid and the effects of acidity on cheese texture.

yibyib
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How much lime juice to be used iso. citric acid??

Dear all,
I'm now trying to make mozzarella cheese. The recipe wrote that use 1 1/4 tsp. for a gallon of milk (I think US gallon). The problem is I can't find citric acid right now. If I want to try lime juice instead of it, how much of lime juice do I have to use for 1 1/4 tsp. of citric acid??

FYI, acidity is what allows the curds to stretch: no acidity, no stretch but, too much acidity make curds become hopeless mess .

Thanks all.
 
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Values that you can find (or that anyone can give you here) won't be accurate, as amount of citric acid present depends on the ripeness of the fruit and on many other factors. Best values should be given as "usually something between x and y".
 


Borek said:
Values that you can find (or that anyone can give you here) won't be accurate, as amount of citric acid present depends on the ripeness of the fruit and on many other factors. Best values should be given as "usually something between x and y".

If you can assume the value of the unknown parameters, can you show me how to solve the problem?

Or another question, If I want to reduce pH of 1 Litre of milk from X.x(I don't know pH of milk) to be around 5.6 by using citric acid (powder type) -- How many grams of citric acid do I have to use?? You can assume any parameter you want. Feel free to let me know things. Very thanks to you.:redface:
 


yibyib said:
If you can assume the value of the unknown parameters, can you show me how to solve the problem?

What do you know about the concentration and how it is related to volume of solution and amount of dissolved substance? Try to read concentration lectures, basically you will find everything you may need there - but feel free to ask if something is not clear.

Or another question, If I want to reduce pH of 1 Litre of milk from X.x(I don't know pH of milk) to be around 5.6 by using citric acid (powder type) -- How many grams of citric acid do I have to use?? You can assume any parameter you want.

There is no simple answer to that question - best approach is to use pH meter or pH strips. A lot depends on the initial pH (which can be already around 5.6 that you ask for).

--
 


Thank you Borek. I'll work it out and I may ask you later.:redface:
 

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