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E353 Metatartaric acid light yellow light porous solid, odorless, insoluble in cold water, hygroscopic, and acidic in aqueous solution.
E353 Metatartaric acid can form soluble complexes with potassium and calcium ions, which are easily decomposed into tartaric acid when heated too much.
E353 Metatartaric acid is an acidity regulator and food stabilizer.
CAS Number: 39469-81-3
Molecular Formula: C8H8O10
Molecular Weight: 264.141
Synonyms: E353 Metatartaric acid, 39469-81-3, Ditartaric acid, RefChem:811243, DTXSID701057297, 609-694-5, 56959-20-7/39469-81-3, 4450-95-7, 2,2'-(3,6-Dioxo-1,4-dioxane-2,5-diyl)bis(2-hydroxyacetic acid), starbld0013595, SCHEMBL29408775, KWBYTEOPKORPPY-UHFFFAOYSA-N, DTXSID901205002, 2,2'-(3,6-Dioxo-1,4-dioxane-2,5-diyl)bis(hydroxyacetic acid), I+/-2,I+/-5-Dihydroxy-3,6-dioxo-1,4-dioxane-2,5-diacetic acid, E353 Metatartaric acid;Metatartaricaci;E353 Metatartaric acid USP/EP/BP
E353 Metatartaric acid, its primary use is in winemaking to prevent the precipitation of bitter potassium bitartrate crystals (tartar).
E353 Metatartaric acid is widely used in the EU, though it is not permitted in the US.
E353 Metatartaric acid is a food additive.
E353 Metatartaric acid is a polymeric lactone of variable composition and different molecular weights obtained through a dehydration reaction by heating tartaric acid.
E353 Metatartaric acid is a chemically modified form of tartaric acid produced by heating tartaric acid under controlled conditions, which causes it to polymerize into a more stable compound that is widely used as an acidity regulator and, most importantly, a stabilizer against crystal formation (tartarate stabilization) in wine and other acidic beverage systems.
E353 Metatartaric acid is not a naturally occurring acid, but a processed derivative of tartaric acid.
This improves stability and crystallization control.
E353 Metatartaric acid is a mixture of polymerized tartaric acid molecules, formed through dehydration reactions that link tartaric acid units together, which changes its structure so it can interfere with crystal growth of potassium bitartrate and calcium tartrate in solution.
Its structure is less uniform than standard organic acids.
This improves anti-crystallization performance.
Physically, it appears as a yellowish to brownish amorphous powder, and it is soluble in water, but its stability in aqueous solutions decreases over time because it gradually hydrolyzes back into tartaric acid under warm or humid conditions.
E353 Metatartaric acid limited stability is an important functional characteristic.
This improves short-term stabilization behavior.
E353 Metatartaric acid acts mainly as an anti-crystallization stabilizer, especially in wine, where it prevents the formation of tartrate crystals during storage by interfering with nucleation and crystal growth processes.
It is therefore used primarily after fermentation and before bottling.
This improves beverage clarity and product appearance.
E353 Metatartaric acid is best described as a heat-formed polymeric derivative of tartaric acid used mainly to stabilize wines and acidic beverages by preventing tartrate crystal formation and improving clarity during storage.
E353 Metatartaric acid is especially important in wine stabilization technology, where it is added after fermentation to prevent the formation of visible crystals that can appear when wine is stored at low temperatures, since these crystals are harmless but often mistaken by consumers for contamination or spoilage.
It works by interfering with crystal nucleation and growth of potassium bitartrate.
This improves product appearance and consumer confidence.
In beverage processing systems, E353 Metatartaric acid is used because it provides rapid stabilization effects compared to physical methods like cold stabilization, which require long storage at low temperatures to achieve similar results.
This makes it useful for industrial-scale production where time efficiency is important.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves processing efficiency and production speed.
In winemaking practice, it is typically applied just before bottling because its effectiveness decreases over time due to hydrolysis in aqueous environments, meaning it is best suited for short- to medium-term stabilization rather than permanent chemical modification.
This is a key limitation in its practical use.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves understanding of application timing and stability limits.
In food chemistry research, E353 Metatartaric acid is studied as an example of how polymerization changes the functional properties of simple organic acids, especially how structural changes can alter crystallization behavior without completely changing acidity.
E353 Metatartaric acid helps scientists design better stabilization agents.
This improves formulation science and polymer chemistry understanding.
In industrial beverage manufacturing, it is used alongside other stabilizers and filtration methods to ensure long-term clarity, especially in products that may undergo temperature fluctuations during transport or storage.
It is often part of a combined stabilization strategy.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves product consistency and quality control.
E353 Metatartaric acid is interesting because it gradually breaks down back into tartaric acid in water, meaning its effectiveness is time-dependent, which makes it useful for studying hydrolysis and polymer stability in acidic environments.
This behavior is important in understanding reactive food additives.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves chemical stability research.
In quality assurance systems, it is used as a cost-effective alternative or supplement to physical stabilization methods, helping reduce production time and energy costs compared to refrigeration-based tartrate stabilization techniques.
E353 Metatartaric acid is particularly valuable in large-scale wine production.
This improves production efficiency and cost control.
In regulatory food science, E353 Metatartaric acid is carefully controlled in usage levels because overuse can lead to instability or reduced effectiveness over time, so correct dosing and timing are critical in industrial applications.
This ensures consistent performance in final products.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves regulatory compliance and application safety.
In sensory and consumer perception studies, it plays an indirect role by preventing visible crystal formation that could negatively affect consumer perception of quality, even though the crystals themselves are harmless and naturally occurring.
E353 Metatartaric acid is important for market acceptance of bottled wines.
This improves product presentation and consumer trust.
In comparative stabilization technology, it is often evaluated alongside other methods like cold stabilization and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), with each method offering different trade-offs between cost, speed, and long-term stability.
This helps producers choose the most efficient stabilization strategy.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves technological decision-making and process optimization.
E353 Metatartaric acid is also significant in wine production chemistry control, because its effectiveness depends heavily on how and when it is added, since it works best when it is evenly dispersed in wine just before bottling, and any delay or improper mixing can reduce its ability to prevent crystal formation during storage.
This makes dosing technique just as important as the compound itself.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves application precision and stabilization effectiveness.
E353 Metatartaric acid is used to reduce the risk of visible tartrate crystals forming when wines are exposed to low temperatures during transport or refrigeration, which is a common issue in export markets where temperature fluctuations are unavoidable.
It helps maintain visual consistency across different storage conditions.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves export stability and product presentation.
In rapid production systems, E353 Metatartaric acid is valued because it provides an immediate stabilizing effect compared to physical methods like cold stabilization, which may require weeks of processing time and significant energy use.
E353 Metatartaric acid makes it economically attractive for high-volume wineries.
This improves production efficiency and cost reduction.
In stability limitation studies, it is often used as an example of a time-dependent additive, since its hydrolysis back into tartaric acid in aqueous environments limits its long-term effectiveness, making it useful for understanding degradation kinetics of food additives.
This is important in formulation science and shelf-life modeling.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves chemical stability research.
In blending and formulation engineering, E353 Metatartaric acid is sometimes combined with other stabilizers such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) or potassium polyaspartate to extend overall stability duration and reduce reliance on a single stabilization mechanism.
This multi-method approach improves reliability in large-scale production.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves formulation synergy and stability control.
E353 Metatartaric acid plays a hidden but important role because preventing crystal formation avoids negative consumer reactions, even though the crystals are harmless, thus indirectly influencing perceived product quality and brand reputation.
This is especially important in premium wine markets.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves market acceptance and brand protection.
E353 Metatartaric acid is studied as a case of polymerized organic acid behavior, showing how heating-induced structural changes can significantly alter solubility, reactivity, and functional performance without changing the base chemical identity completely.
This is useful in understanding polymerization of small organic molecules.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves chemical structure–function understanding.
In food additive lifecycle analysis, it is considered relatively short-lived compared to many other additives because it gradually breaks down in aqueous systems, meaning its performance window must be carefully matched to product shelf life requirements.
This is a key constraint in formulation design.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves lifecycle and stability planning.
In industrial optimization studies, its use is often compared with physical stabilization methods, and it is selected when rapid turnaround and lower energy consumption are prioritized over long-term chemical stability.
This helps balance cost, speed, and product quality in manufacturing decisions.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves industrial process optimization.
In quality control laboratories, E353 Metatartaric acid behavior is monitored indirectly by tracking crystal formation in bottled products over time, making it a practical indicator of stabilization effectiveness in real production environments.
This helps validate production consistency.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves quality assurance accuracy.
E353 Metatartaric acid is considered low persistence because it ultimately converts back into tartaric acid, which is naturally metabolized and cycled in biological systems, making it relatively environmentally compatible compared to synthetic stabilizers that persist longer.
This supports its use in food-safe chemical design.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves environmental sustainability assessment.
Uses:
E353 Metatartaric acid can be used as sour agent and antioxidant synergist.
E353 Metatartaric acid is mainly used as an anti-crystallization stabilizer because it prevents the formation of tartrate crystals in acidic beverages, especially wine.
In wine production, it is used to prevent crystal formation and improve clarity.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves visual quality and consumer acceptance.
In beverage stabilization, it is used to maintain product appearance during storage.
This improves shelf stability and consistency.
In industrial beverage processing, it is used for fast stabilization before bottling.
This improves production efficiency.
In food technology systems, it is used to reduce unwanted precipitation in acidic products.
This improves product quality control.
In quality assurance applications, it is used to ensure stable appearance during distribution and storage.
This improves consumer perception and product reliability.
As a food additive, it has the E number E353 Metatartaric acid and is classified as an acidity regulator.
It is added to wine to prevent the precipitation of potassium hydrogen tartrate and calcium tartrate.
E353 Metatartaric acid is mainly used as an anti-crystallization stabilizer, especially in wine, because it prevents tartrate crystal formation during storage and distribution.
In wine production, it is used to prevent crystal formation before bottling.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves clarity and consumer acceptance.
In beverage stabilization, it is used to maintain appearance during storage and transport.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves product consistency.
In industrial winemaking processes, it is used for rapid stabilization compared to cold methods.
This improves production speed and efficiency.
E353 Metatartaric acid is used to reduce unwanted precipitation in acidic beverages.
This improves quality control.
In quality assurance, it is used to ensure stable product appearance across shelf life.
This improves consumer perception and reliability.
E353 Metatartaric acid is mainly used as an anti-crystallization stabilizer because it prevents the formation of tartrate crystals (especially potassium bitartrate) in acidic beverages, helping maintain clarity and visual stability during storage, transport, and cooling.
In wine production, it is used just before bottling to prevent crystal formation that can appear during cold storage or long-term aging.
This improves wine clarity and prevents harmless but undesirable sediment or crystals.
In sparkling and still beverages, it is used to stabilize acidic systems so that temperature changes during distribution or refrigeration do not trigger visible crystal precipitation.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves product appearance and consumer acceptance.
E353 Metatartaric acid is used as a fast-acting alternative to time-consuming cold stabilization processes, reducing production time and energy consumption.
This improves manufacturing efficiency and cost control.
In food technology applications involving tartaric acid systems, it is used to reduce unwanted crystallization in acidic fruit-based products where tartarate formation could affect texture or appearance.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves product stability and quality consistency.
In quality control and packaging processes, it is used to ensure that finished bottled products maintain a clear appearance throughout their shelf life under varying storage conditions.
This improves product reliability and shelf-life performance.
Safety Profile:
E353 Metatartaric acid is generally considered a low hazard food additive, but it has a key functional limitation rather than toxicological risk: it is chemically unstable in water and can hydrolyze back to tartaric acid over time.
The main hazard is mild irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory system, mainly from dust or concentrated handling in industrial environments.
Protective equipment is recommended.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves workplace safety.
Skin contact is generally low risk, though prolonged exposure may cause mild irritation.
Washing with water is sufficient.
Eye contact may cause moderate irritation, especially from powder exposure.
Eye protection is recommended.
Inhalation of dust may cause temporary respiratory irritation, particularly in poorly ventilated areas.
Dust control measures are recommended.
E353 Metatartaric acid is not flammable and is stable under dry storage conditions but less stable in aqueous environments.
This improves handling awareness.
From a toxicological perspective, it is considered safe within regulated limits because it is derived from tartaric acid, a naturally occurring food acid.
However, its instability must be considered in formulation design.
This requires proper industrial usage control.
From an environmental perspective, it is low risk and biodegradable, since it breaks down into tartaric acid, which is naturally metabolized in biological systems.
E353 Metatartaric acid improves environmental compatibility and safety.
