Maleic acid

Functional Category

Acidulant; antioxidant; buffering agent; chelating agent; flavoring

agent; therapeutic agent.

Applications in Pharmaceutical Formulation or Technology

Malic acid is used in pharmaceutical formulations as a generalpurpose acidulant. It possesses a slight apple flavor and is used as a

flavoring agent to mask bitter tastes and provide tartness. Malic acid is also used as an alternative to citric acid in effervescent

powders, mouthwashes, and tooth-cleaning tablets. In addition, malic acid has chelating and antioxidant properties.

It may be used with butylated hydroxytoluene as a synergist in orderto retard oxidation in vegetable oils. In food products it may be used

in concentrations up to 420 ppm. Therapeutically, malic acid has been used topically in combination with benzoic acid and salicylic acid to treat burns, ulcers, and

wounds. It has also been used orally and parenterally, either intravenously or intramuscularly, in the treatment of liver disorders,

and as a sialagogue.

Description

White or nearly white, crystalline powder or granules having a slight odor and a strongly acidic taste. It is hygroscopic. The

synthetic material produced commercially in Europe and the USA is a racemic mixture, whereas the naturally occurring material found

in apples and many other fruits and plants is levorotatory