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Sodium citrate is the organic sodium salt of citric acid. A salt molecule contains from one to three sodium atoms. Sodium citrate is used extensively in the food industry and is a food preservative, but is also used as a product acidity regulator or emulsifying agent. On product labels, it is hidden under the designation E331. However, sodium citrate is used not only in the food industry, but also in medicine, e.g. as an anticoagulant. What is sodium citrate used for? Could Consuming Sodium Citrate Have Adverse Health Effects?
Sodium citrate – properties
As mentioned, sodium citrate can contain one, two, or even three sodium atoms. The sodium atom is attached to citric acid by reaction with its bicarbonate, carbonate or hydroxide. Although it is an acid, its pH ranges from 7,5 to 9 on the pH scale. Sodium citrate is highly hygroscopic, which means it easily absorbs water from its surroundings.
Sodium citrate in food
Sodium citrate is widely used, primarily in the food industry. On product labels it is marked as E331. It is used when it is necessary to obtain the correct pH of a foodstuff, and when it is necessary to preserve the product and prevent premature decomposition of nutrients. Sodium citrate is also used in the food industry when it is desired to maintain a specific color of the product, and also as an additive ensuring the appropriate, acidic taste of beverages. However, sodium citrate can also be useful as an emulsifier – so it allows to obtain a homogeneous solution of two liquids which, without this component, do not mix. E331, or sodium citrate, is therefore present in a number of food products, e.g. in popular carbonated drinks with a lemon flavor, but also in dairy products, in particular in fermented products such as buttermilk, yogurt or kefir. Sodium citrate is added to sauces, preserves, spices, sweets, crisps, alcohol, but also meats and meat products. We can also find it in mustards, ready-made dinner dishes, melted cheese or olives in a salty pickle.
Sodium citrate in medicine and cosmetics
The food industry is not the only area where sodium citrate has found wide application. This substance is also often used in medicine, the cosmetics industry and in popular cleaning products. Sodium citrate is used, for example, in analytical laboratories where blood tests are performed. It is used as the so-called an anticoagulant, a substance that is used to prevent blood cells from sticking together. It is also a very valuable property that turns out to be extremely useful when storing blood or performing transfusions. Marked with the symbol E331 in the food industry, sodium citrate is also a medicine. It has been used in urology, where it protects the kidneys – it prevents the development of kidney stones and regulates the course of metabolic acidosis, reducing its symptoms. As a medicine, it is also used to achieve a laxative effect. Sodium citrate is sometimes used as a doping agent because it improves the body’s performance. However, the dose that will achieve the desired effect is large enough to cause gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhea or vomiting. In the field of chemistry, as in the food industry, the addition of sodium citrate helps to stabilize the pH and has a buffering function. As for the use of sodium citrate in the cosmetics industry, the addition of this substance allows you to achieve the correct acidity of the product.
Sodium citrate – can it be harmful?
The harmfulness of sodium citrate is negligible or even equal to zero. Only large doses of this agent can cause certain side effects, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and other dyspeptic symptoms. The amounts of E331 in food products are not high enough to cause any side effects. However, remember that moderation is advisable. Therefore, there are contraindications to the use of sodium citrate. These are, for example, coronary artery disease, post-ischemic heart disease, adrenal and kidney diseases, hyperkalemia (too high potassium levels in the blood). It is not recommended to take sodium citrate by people who are dehydrated or are hypersensitive to this substance.