INS 330 on a food label: citric acid, explained

INS 330 is citric acid, the acid that makes lemons sour. It is one of the two most common additives on Indian packs: of the 3,576 Indian products in Open Food Facts that list their additives, 1,212 declare it.

Although lemons contain it, the citric acid in food is made by fermenting a sugar solution with a mould, which is cheaper and purer than extracting it from fruit.

What it does in the pack

• Acidity regulator: it sets and holds the sourness of drinks, sweets, sauces and pickles.
• Flavour: a sharp, fruity tang in candies and tangy snack seasonings.
• Keeping quality: lower acidity helps preservatives work and slows browning in cut fruit and fruit products.

How LabelSaaf treats it

Citric acid sits in LabelSaaf's low-risk tier: food-safety evaluators have found no safety concern at the levels used. Like every additive, it can adjust a score within the band the nutrition earned, but it never moves a pack into another band. The other INS numbers you will see.

Common questions

What does INS 330 mean?

It is the International Numbering System code for citric acid. E330, on imported packs, is the same substance.

Is INS 330 vegetarian?

Yes. It is made by fermentation from plant sugars, with no animal source.

Does INS 330 have side effects?

At the amounts used in food, regulators have found no safety concern. It is an acid, so it is part of what makes a sour drink sour.

What is INS 330 called in Hindi?

साइट्रिक एसिड, or citric acid.

Figures on this page come from labels we have read and hand-checked. Products are described by category rather than named, and no affiliation with or endorsement by any brand is implied.

Last checked: 2026-09-25

Photograph the nutrition table on a pack and get a score out of 100, with the reason behind every point.