organic acids
Carbon-containing sour compounds
Organic acids are carbon-containing compounds that release hydrogen ions in solution, giving them acidic properties.
They occur naturally in foods—citric acid in lemons, acetic acid in vinegar, lactic acid in yogurt—and play essential roles in metabolism.
The term distinguishes them from inorganic acids like hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, which lack carbon structures.
- muscle burnFatigue sensation during exertion
- amino acidsOrganic compounds forming proteins
- fruit acidsTart compounds from produce
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- wine makingProducing fermented grape beverages
sourdough · corrosive · malic · vinegar · food preservation · rancid · salad dressing · tangy · brine · sour taste · pickled · sharp · sour · formic · apple · pungent · vitamin · fatty
chemical classification
organic acidshydrochloric acid
Corrosive hydrogen chloride solution
sulfuric acid · nitric acid · phosphoric acid · inorganic chemistry · perchloric acid