A salt or ester of citric acid, commonly used in food preservation, medicine, and biochemical processes like cellular energy production.
From Latin citrus (citron tree) + -ate (salt suffix). Citric acid was first isolated from citrus fruits in 1784 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, and the salt forms were named accordingly using the standard chemical nomenclature.
Sodium citrate is the unsung hero of cheese making—it's what transforms regular cheese into the smooth, meltable cheese used in processed foods and restaurant nacho sauce. Ironically, this citrus-derived compound helps create the most un-citrusy of foods while also playing a crucial role in every cell's energy production.
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