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Prepared Foods, Sept, 2003 by Claudia Dziuk O'Donnell

For food scientists trying to formulate finished products with low pHs (high titratable acidity) for microbial safety or ether reasons, very few alkaline foods (as defined by those with pHs higher than 7.0) exist to thwart their effort by unintentionally buffering or neutralizing a food's acidic ingredients. Such reactions are not always instantaneous, such as in non-liquid foods, with the pH rising over time.

Of nearly 420 foods listed on one USDA website, only a dozen or less possess pHs that can range above 7.0. Egg whites check in with a very alkaline pH of almost 8.0. Cooked corn and spinach also lean toward pHs over 7.0.

The pH of phosphates vary from acidic (e.g., monosodium phosphate) to alkaline (e.g., tripotassium phosphate). Phosphates are commonly used on or in shrimp, surimi or other protein products to improve yields and texture. When the surimi is used in o mayonnaise or vinegar-based salad, the finished product's pH will rise. Most common alkaline foods are that way due to their processing. Corn tortillas (masa) are made with calcium hydroxide, black olives (pH 6.00 to 7.30) with sodium hydroxide. Other high-pH foods are soda crackers (5.65-7.32), Camembert cheese (7.44) and graham crackers (7.10 to 7.92).

Equivalent Titratable Acidity

                  Equivalent      (For 1g of       (For 1g of
Acid                weight     phosphoric acid)   acetic acid)

Glucono-
  delta lactone     178.14           0.18             0.34
Lactic              90.08            0.36             0.67
Tartaric            75.03            0.43             0.80
Adipic              73.07            0.45             0.82
Malic               67.05            0.49             0.90
Citric              64.04            0.51             0.94
Acetic              60.05            0.54             1.00
Fumaric             58.04            0.56             1.03
Phosphoric          32.67            1.00             1.84

Website Resources:

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/lacf-phs.html--A list of various foods' pHs

www.uark.edu/depts/foodsci/mystery/extra/10_pH.html--Alkalinity and acidity of food

http://seafood.ucdavis.edu/HACCP/Compendium/Terms.html--Discussion of pHs

www.jungbunzlauer.com/products/product_15.html--Information on GDL

www.elc-eu.org5.htm#2--A few comments on acidifier properties