ABSTRACT
Various acids contained in food show signicant effects on both taste and aroma. Acids also inuence the ability of microorganisms to grow, so some, such as citric acid, lactic acid, or phosphoric acid, are used as common food additives for preservation or pH control. Therefore, the determination of acidity and acid content is important for the taste and quality assessment of food, regardless of whether acids exist in the original foods or in the additives. For example, fats and oils tend to decompose slowly upon storage in contact with the atmosphere and to release their fatty acid constituents, resulting in a lowering of their quality. Thus, a quality and freshness assessment of fats and oils can be made based on the determination of their free fatty acid content. In the case of beverages such as coffee and fruit juice, various organic acids are natural ingredients. pH control agents and acidulants are food additives used to achieve the stability and/ or avor of foods. Even though the content of each acid is small, the acid amount has a signicant effect on the taste and aroma of the beverages. Therefore, an acid assay is quite important for processing and quality control in the manufacturing and preservation of foods and beverages.
