Citric acids give the sharp taste to food in your diet. The chemical is used in many of your foods as a preservative and works by keeping the food acidic. The acidic food environment, or low pH, prevents bacterial growth. Naturally acidic foods include lemons, oranges, berries, tomatoes and cheese. An allergic reaction to citric acid is rare but possible. Food allergies manifest in a variety of symptoms, depending on the person.
Citric Acid
Citric acid exists in most plants and animals. It is involved in the biochemical metabolism of most living things. In nature it works as both an antioxidant and a cleaning agent. Antioxidants work as preservatives. It is chemically made by the fermentation of glucose with mold. Synthetically it is made using acetone or glycerol. It is used in food, cosmetics, medicine and plastics. Some of the foods you eat with added citric acid include soft drinks, jams, potato chips, breakfast cereals and waffles.
Amounts of Citric Acid
The amount of natural citric acid in foods varies between food type and variety. Lemons and limes have similar amounts, with 49 g per liter of dry weight, while grapefruit contained 29 g. Fresh-squeezed orange juice has less citric acid content than ready-to-drink orange juice. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the amount of citric acid most people get from processed foods amounts to 500 mg per person per day. It is about the same as 2 oz. of orange juice, which is not significant.
Food Allergy
An allergy is when your body's immune system reacts abnormally to a substance. You may believe you have an allergy to a food or additive, while in reality it may be food intolerance. Less than 1 percent of Americans have actual food allergies. Hives, hoarse voice and wheezing occur as common food allergy symptoms. Anaphylaxis is a dangerous reaction affecting the entire body, especially breathing, within minutes of contacting the allergen. Itchy lips, tongue and throat transpire with oral allergy syndrome. When your body cannot tolerate certain foods but does not have an abnormal immune response, it is an intolerance, not an allergy.
Citrus Allergy
Sometimes individuals who work daily with citrus or a citrus oil called limonene develop skin sensitivity. Many of your cleaning products contain limonene. An allergy to the seeds of the fruit is most common with citrus. A case report in the March 2007 issue of "Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology" discusses a case of anaphylaxis in a man who showered with soap containing lemon. The study attributed the reaction to the seeds, not the fruit itself. Citrus seed allergy is common among those who have peanut allergies.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Citric Acid
- "Journal of Endourology"; Quantitative Assessment of Citric Acid in Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, and Commercially-Available Fruit Juice Products; K.L. Penniston, et al.; March 2008
- "Contact Dermatitis"; Contact Allergy to Oxidized d-limonene Among Dermititis Patients; A.Karlberg, et al.; April 1997
- "Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology"; Anaphylaxis to Lemon Soap: Citrus Seed and Peanut Allergen Cross-reactivity; I.N.Glaspole, et al.; March 2007
- Chemical Land 21: Citric Acid
- Understanding Food Additives: Acidulants
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