Harold Bruening, age 16, of Marion, Ohio, for his question:
WHAT IS ORGANIC AND INORGANIC ACID?
Acid is a liquid chemical compound that is made up of hydrogen and at least one other chemical element. There are many kinds of acids, both good and bad, but they can all be divided into two classes: organic acids which are present in many foods and have some industrial uses and inorganic acids or mineral acids.
Inorganic acids contain hydrogen and other atoms. They are especially important in industry.
The most important inorganic industrial acid is sulfuric acid. It can be made in many different ways and is the cheapest of all acids. In a concentrated form, it can cause severe damage to the eyes and serious burns on the skin. Great care must be taken by those working with sulfuric acid.
Sulfuric acid is used in refining crude petroleum to make gasoline for cars. It is also used to make dyes and medicines, dynamite, smokeless gunpowder, soap, window glass, rayon, cotton, linen fibers and car batteries.
Sulfuric acid is made up of two parts of the element hydrogen, one part sulfur and four parts of oxygen.
Other inorganic acids include hydrofluoric acid (which is used to etch glass), nitric acid, phosphoric acid, boric acid (which is used to make ceramics), carbonic acid and arsenic acid.
Organic acids are not as strong as inorganic acids.
Acetic acid is best known in its form as vinegar. It is prepared by fermenting apple cider. In salad dressing vinegar, there is 5 to 7 percent acetic acid. It is also used to make other chemicals and drugs.
The organic lactic acid is formed when fermentation of the sugar in milk takes place and the milk turns sour. On the good side, lactic acid is used in the preparation of cheese and sauerkraut, for making medicine and for textile printing.
Organic acids include formic acid found in the sting of insects, butyric acid and propionic acid which are used to make perfumes and artificial flavors for foods.
Protein foods build body tissue and keep it healthy with a supply of an important substance in the body known as amino acids. There are more than 20 amino acids (they are organic acids) and 10 of these are absolutely necessary to keep the body in good health.
Because the body cannot make the acids as fast as they are needed, they must be obtained from the protein that a person eats. A balanced diet of different proteins will supply all of the necessary amino acids. They are found in gelatin, milk, liver, meat, fish, soybean oil and wheat flour.
Ascorbic acid is the chemical name for vitamin C. Foods with lots of ascorbic acid include oranges, lemons, grapefruit, cabbage and potatoes.
Pellagra, a disease caused if the body doesn't obtain enough nicotinic acid, can be prevented if the diet includes liver, bran, salmon, poultry, beef, pork and whole wheat.
Acids are also added to canned foods to protect them from bacteria.