E330Acidity regulatorAntioxidant
What Is E330? Citric Acid and Where It Is Used
Also known as: Lemon salt
E330 is the additive number of citric acid, sold in Turkish kitchens as "lemon salt". It gives a sour taste, adjusts acidity and slows down the loss of colour and flavour.
- In the Besin database
- 2,104 products
- About 18 in every 100 products
- Source
- Plant-based, fermentation
- Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
- No numerical value set
What does E330 do?
It balances sourness in drinks and sweets and adjusts acidity in canned foods so they stay stable. Because it binds metal ions it slows the oxidation of fats and colours, which is why labels may also list it as an antioxidant.
How is it made?
Although it occurs naturally in lemons and oranges, the citric acid used by the food industry today is mostly made by fermenting sugar, glucose or molasses with the mould Aspergillus niger.
Vegan and halal: No animal raw material is used; it suits vegan and vegetarian diets.
Which products contain E330?
2,104 of the 11,663 packaged products in the Besin database list E330 (Citric acid) in their ingredients. The categories where it appears most often:
- Fruit Juice and Nectar130 products
- Soda127 products
- Iced Tea121 products
- Jelly Candies76 products
- Flavored Mineral Water74 products
- Halva73 products
Numbers as of the database snapshot of October 18, 2026.
Official evaluation
The EU's former Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) evaluated citric acid in 1990 and saw no need for a numerical ADI ("ADI not specified"). EFSA has collected data for its re-evaluation programme; When this page was written we found no finished EFSA re-evaluation opinion for it. It is permitted in Türkiye and the EU.
Food additives are regulated by the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693). The ADI is the amount estimated to be safe to take every day over a lifetime, given per kilogram of body weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is lemon salt the same as E330?
Yes. The white crystals sold as lemon salt are citric acid; on packaged food labels the same substance appears as citric acid or E330.
Is E330 made from lemons?
Usually not. It takes its name from citrus fruit, but industrial citric acid is mostly made by fermenting sugary raw materials with a mould.
Which products contain E330 most often?
In the Besin database it appears most often in fruit juices and nectars, sodas, iced teas, jelly candies, flavoured mineral waters and halva.
Related additives
Sources
- EFSA: Food additives
- EFSA: Call for data for the re-evaluation (including E330 and E331)
- the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693)
Last reviewed: . This page is for information only and is not medical advice. To report a mistake, write to iletisim@besin.app.