Acids present in various food items are the only acid that can be eaten. These acids are responsible for the sharpness of the taste of any food. These acids are present in some amounts in all fruits and vegetables. Many of the acids found in vegetables are also found in fruits. Here we have provided the list of Acids present in fruits and vegetables.
List of Acid present in food items
| SL. No | Acid | Food Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Citric Acid | Citrus fruits- lemon, Orange, Grapefruit |
| 2. | Tartaric Acid | Tamarind, Grapes, Pineapples, Potatoes, Carrots |
| 3. | Acetic Acid | Vinegar |
| 4. | Oxalic Acid | Pepper, Spinach, Tomato |
| 5. | Tannic Acid | Tea |
| 6. | Caffeotannic Acid | Coffee |
| 7. | Benzoic acid | Cranberries, prunes and plums |
| 8. | Malic Acid | Apple, Ripe Bananas, Bananas, pomegranates, grapes, berries, tomatoes, and broccoli |
| 9. | Lactic acid | Milk, Curd, Cheese |
| 10. | Butyric acid and Caproic acid | Butter |
| 11. | Glutamic acid | Onion |
| 12. | Palmitic acid and oleic acid | Ghee |
| 13. | Carbonic acid and | Soda Water (Carbonated Beverages) |
| 14. | Phosphoric acid | Soft drinks (Fruit) |
| 15. | Caprylic acid and Palmitic acid | Coconut oil and Palm oil |
| 16. | Arachidic acid | Ground nut oil |
| 17. | Oleic acid | Olive oil |
| 18. | Erucic acid | Mustard oil |
| 19. | Lauric acid | Coconut milk |
| 20. | Linoleic acid (55%) | Soybean oil |
| 21. | Myristic acid | Coconut oil |
| 22. | Pantothenic acid | Chicken, Eggs, Mushrooms, Avocado |
| 23. | Folic Acid | Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, Spinach, Lettuce. |
| 24. | Ascorbic Acid | Amla, Gooseberry, Guava |
Natural acids present in fruits
| Sl. No | Type | Predominant Acid(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bananas | Malic |
| 2. | Kiwifruit | Citric |
| 3. | Limes | Citric, malic, tartaric and oxalic acids |
| 4. | Lemons | Citric, malic, tartaric and oxalic acids |
| 5. | Apples | Malic, Succinic acids |
| 6. | Apricots | Malic and Citric acids |
| 7. | Avocados | Tartaric Acid |
| 8. | Grapefruit | Citric, tartaric, malic and oxalic acids |
| 9. | Grapes | Malic and tartaric, citric and oxalic acids. |
| 10. | Kumquat | Citric |
| 11. | Loganberry | Malic, citric acids |
| 12. | Nectarine | Malic |
| 13. | Orange Peel | Malic, citric and oxalic acids |
| 14. | Orange | Citric, malic and oxalic acids |
| 15. | Passionfruit | malic |
| 16. | Peaches | Malic and citric acids |
| 17. | Pears | Malic, citric, tartaric and oxalic acids |
| 18. | Pineapples | Citric and malic acids |
| 19. | Plums | Malic, tartaric and oxalic acids |
| 20. | Raspberry | Citric |
| 21. | Rosehip | Malic |
| 22. | Quinces | Malic acid |
| 23. | Salad | Citric and malic |
| 24. | Strawberries | Citric, malic, shikimic, succinic acids |
| 25. | Tangerine | Citric |
| 26. | Youngberries | Citric, malic and Isocitric acids |
| 27. | Bilberry | Citric acid |
| 28. | Blackberries | Malic and Quinic acids |
| 29. | Blueberries | Citric, Malic, Citramalic, quinic, glutamic and aspartic acids |
| 30. | Boysenberries | Citric, malic, and Isocitric acids. |
| 31. | Cherries | Malic, Citric, Tartaric, Succinic |
| 32. | Crabapple | Malic |
| 33. | Cranberries | Citric, malic and benzoic acids. |
| 34. | Currants | Citric, tartaric, malic and succinic acids |
| 35. | Elderberries | Citric, malic, shikimic and quinic acids |
| 36. | Figs | Citric, malic and acetic acids |
| 37. | Gooseberries | Citric, malic, shikimic and quinic acids |
Acidic Fruits list with pH value
Foods with a pH above 7 are considered alkaline, per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whereas those that are below 7 are acidic.
- Lemon (2-2.6)
- Lime (2 -2.8)
- Orange (3.7 – 4.3)
- Grapes (2.9 – 3.8)
- Tangerine (3.9)
- Pineapple (3-4)
- Kiwi (3.1 – 3.9)
- Apple (3.3 – 4)
- Pomegranate (2.9-3.2)
- Blue Plums (2.8 – 3.4)
- Tomato (4.3 – 4.9)
- Cranberry (2.3 to 2.5)
- Passionfruit (2.7-3.1)
- Mango (3.4 -6)
- Blueberries (3.1 – 3.3)
- Pineapples (3.2 – 4)
- Peaches (3.3 – 4)
- Sour cherry (3.06–3.35)
- Apricots (3.3 – 4.8)
Acids Present in Foods [Infographic]
The acids given in the list below are the most known acids present in food items, which are asked in all competitive exams under the General Science section.
Natural acids present in Vegetables
| Sl. No | Type | Predominant Acid(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Beans | Citric, Malic acids |
| 2. | Broccoli | Malic, Citric, Oxalic and Succinic acids |
| 3. | Carrots | Malic, Citric, Fumaric acids |
| 4. | Mushrooms | Lactarimic, Cetostearic, Fumaric acids |
| 5. | Peas | Malic acid |
| 6. | Potatoes | Malic, Citric, Oxalic acids |
| 7. | Rhubarb | Malic, Citric and Oxalic acids |
| 8. | Tomatoes | Citric, malic and Oxalic acids |
Sample Questions
Question 1: The acetic acid present in which fruit?
Answer: Natural sources of acetic acid include grapes, apples, strawberries, pineapples, and oranges.
Question 2: Name the acid present in lemon juice?
Answer: Citric Acid
• Citric acid is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. Citrate is a derivative of citric acid, widely used as an acidifier, flavoring and chelating agent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answer: Tartaric acid and L-malic acids are present in grapes.
Answer: Apples, grapes, pineapples, strawberries, and oranges are natural sources of acetic acid. In addition to natural sources, vinegar (5-8% acetic acid) used in food also contains acetic acid.
Answer: Citric Acid
Answer: oxalic acid
Answer: Vegetables mainly contain citric acid, malic acid, and oxalic acid, and malic acid was the most abundant in most cases.
Answer: Malic acid, Citric acid, and Oxalic acid.
Answer: The pH range of vegetables varies from 4.2 to 6.2. This means the vegetables are weakly acidic. The majority of vegetables are alkaline.
But, their pH may change during processing and packaging to preserve them for longer periods. Naturally, most vegetables are non-acidic.
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