Gluconic Acid
Other names: Gluconic acid
Harm score: 2 (Derivatives of natural substances)
Gluconic acid, also known as gluconic acid in English, is one of the most important acids found in nature. This organic compound is a non-hazardous derivative of glucose, which chemically speaking has the form of tartaric acid. Its main use is in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Gluconic acid is generally recognised as safe for consumers in most countries around the world, including the United States, the European Union and the Czech Republic.
In the food industry, gluconic acid is used as an acidity regulator, sequestering agent, antioxidant, stabilizer and chelating agent. It can be found in many different products such as beverages, fruits and vegetables, confectionery, dairy products, baked goods and many others. Gluconic acid has the ability to improve the shelf life of foods and at the same time their taste. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used as a component of various medicinal products, including calcium gluconate, which is administered when the body is deficient in calcium. At the same time, gluconic acid is also used in cosmetics, mainly as a toning and moisturising ingredient in various lotions, creams and serums. It reacts with minerals and heavy metals and thus removes them from the skin.