2023/10/12/ · 14.2.1 Introduction to Citric Acid. Citric acid (C 6 H 8 O 7, 2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propane tricarboxylic acid), a natural constituent and common metabolite of plants and animals, is the most important organic acid produced in tonnage and is extensively used in food and pharmaceutical industries.The name is derived from Latin word citrus, which