# citric acid vs lemon juice



## dragonchick (Oct 10, 2007)

what is your preference? and why?can you taste the lemon juice when added to preserved tomatoes? I am trying to decide which to get. This will be my first time canning so please bear with all the silly questions.
There is a poll above this.


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## Ryan NC (Jan 29, 2009)

lemon juice is easy to find, easy to measure, and commonly already used with recipes that need additional acid.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

Citric acid since I buy it in bulk and store in a sealed container. Just easy that way. I also keep bottled lemon juice for canning other things, like marinated mushrooms, etc..

I don't notice the bottled lemon juice. It is in all commercial tomatoes, too. Well, citric acid is.


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Actually, I use vinegar in canned tomatoes. You cannot taste it at all (I promise!) and it's a lot cheaper than either of the above.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Lemon juice or vinegar because it's cheaper than citric acid for me.
I have in the past used disolved vit. C tablets for soaking apple slices before dehydrating. The vitamins were destined for the trash. 

~~ pelenaka ~~


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

I use lemon juice. I've never had any problems with it and it always gets used up because I use it for many other recipes and "odd" jobs around the kitchen. And I don't notice any "flavor" from using it in canned products.


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## majik (Feb 23, 2005)

I use lemon juice, too. I don't find that I can taste it, and the bottled kind is consistent in acid content, so I feel safer.


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## Solarmom (Jun 17, 2010)

CITRIC ACID!!

I have canned tomatoes with lemon juice for 20+ years- i just recently did a batch of crushed tomatoes with my Roma food mil with the salsa attachment! WOW the color of the finished product is amazing and bright! no taste either- i will always use citric acid from now on. When I find it, I buy as many of the plastic bottles as I can -vac sealed up and ready for when I need them!

Kris


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

Lemon juice. It's cheap, and its easy to find.
Lucy where do you buy citric acid in bulk?


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

I got some at the local wine making shop and also ordered some online from Bullk Foods.


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

I get my citric acid at the Indian Grocery Store. I pay about $2 for a 3.5 ounce package. I get a years worth of tomatoes canned with 1.5 packages, so it costs me about $3 for the citric acid. Lemon juice may be cheaper, but seriously - we'd be bickering over pennies, maybe nickels.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Berry Farms carries many bulk items... including citric acid. I just purchased some... not certain how to use it exactly ... just yet. Has anyone made jelly using citric acid rather than lemon with the pectin???


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## dragonchick (Oct 10, 2007)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> Berry Farms carries many bulk items... including citric acid. I just purchased some... not certain how to use it exactly ... just yet. Has anyone made jelly using citric acid rather than lemon with the pectin???


I too would like to know this.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Bump!


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