Ascorbic Acid Powder USP/BP (Vitamin C) 200g

How is Ascorbic Acid E300 used by chefs?
Ascorbic Acid plays a very important role in food manufacture, preservation and flavour. It is a natural anti oxidant that prevents oxidation of fats and oils. This makes it the perfect product to lower the pH and increase the shelf life of many products. For example to prevent apples from browning place them in a dilute solution of ascorbic acid. Ascorbic Acid also has a large role to play in baking by increasing the volume. This is acheived by aiding the yeast to work harder and for longer, only a 0.03% amount is required to obtain a significant result. Adding a larger amount will not result in a further increase and will reduce the pH too far.

This is the pharmaceutical grade ascorbic acid. Ascorbic Acids appearance is white to light yellow crystals or powder and is water soluble. The L-enantiomer of ascorbic acid is commonly known as vitamin C. In 1937 the Nobel Prize for chemistry was awarded to Walter Haworth for his work in determining the structure of ascorbic acid (shared with Paul Karrer, who received his award for work on vitamins), and the prize for Physiology or medicine that year went to Albert Szent-Györgyi for his studies of the biological functions of L-ascorbic acid.

How is Ascorbic Acid Manufactured?
Ascorbic acid is derived from glucose via the uronic acid pathway. The enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase responsible for the conversion of gulonolactone to ascorbic acid is absent in primates making ascorbic acid required in the diet.

Deficiency of vitamin C in the human body
The active form of vitamin C is ascorbate acid itself. The main function of ascorbate is as a reducing agent in a number of different reactions.  Vitamin C is, therefore, required for the maintenance of normal connective tissue as well as for wound healing since synthesis of connective tissue is the first event in wound tissue remodeling. Deficiency in vitamin C leads to the disease scurvy. Scurvy is characterized by easily bruised skin, muscle fatigue, soft swollen gums, decreased wound healing and hemorrhaging, osteoporosis, and anemia.

Vitamin C is readily absorbed and so the primary cause of vitamin C deficiency is poor diet and/or an increased requirement. The primary physiological state leading to an increased requirement for vitamin C is severe stress (or trauma). This is due to a rapid depletion in the adrenal stores of the vitamin. The reason for the decrease in adrenal vitamin C levels is unclear but may be due either to redistribution of the vitamin to areas that need it or an overall increased utilization.