Citric Acid is an odorless, white crystalline powder or granular particles which dissolve readily in water. Citric Acid occurs widely in plants and animals as a common intermediate metabolite of the Krebs (Citric Acid) cycle in virtually all organisms. It is the acid responsible for the characteristic tartness of citrus and many other fruits. Formerly Citric Acid was extracted from lemon juice, but today it is obtained by microbial fermentation of a carbohydrate such as glucose syrup using a selected strain of micro-organism.