The Taste Tests of Organic Acids

Part I. Measurement of point of subjective equalities (P.S.E.) on sourness of nine organic acids permitted as food additives

Abstract

Sour taste is mainly associated with the hydrogen ion concentration, and to a lesser extent, with the degree of dissociation. From the results of P.S.E. determined by taste tests on nine organic acids, the sourness was more intensive in fumaric>tartaric>malic>acetic>succinic>citric>lactic>ascorbic and>gluconic acids.