The formic and the acetic acids are examples of a series of organic acids known as _fatty acids_. Other members of the series are--
Propionic acid C₃H₆O₂ Butyric " C₄H₈O₂ Palmitic " C₁₆H₃₂O₂ Stearic " C₁₈H₃₆O₂
These fatty acids are very important to the food scientist as they combine with glycerin to form fats. When combined with alkalis under a certain temperature they form soap. Perhaps some of our older students may remember the soap kettle on the farm at home, in which lard cracklings and other fatty fragments of the animal were boiled with lye or caustic potash to form home-made soap. The chemical action that took place was a combination of these fatty acids with the caustic potash or lye. The glycerin was set free and remained in the bottom of the kettle as soft soap. Reference will be made to these acids again, in Lesson IV, where the study of fats will be taken up in detail. (See "Fats and Oils," under Lesson IV, Chemistry of Foods, p. 122).
There are some other forms of organic acids which do not belong in the fatty series; that is, they do not contain the same general proportions of carbon and hydrogen. One of these is oxalic acid (C₂H₂O₄) which is found in certain plants, such as sorrel, and is an active poison. Oxalic acid is used in the household for taking iron-rust out of cloth.
[Sidenote: Lactic, malic and tartaric acids]
Lactic acid (C₃H₆O₃) is the acid of sour milk. Malic acid (C₄H₆O₅) is found in many fruits such as apples, apricots, currants, pears, plums, prunes, etc. Tartaric acid (C₄H₆O₆) is found principally in grapes. It is one of the constituent elements in the sediment found in wine casks, and is the active principle in cream of tartar. The latter is a potassium salt of tartaric acid.
Citric acid (C₆H₈O₇) is one of the most important of the organic acids from the standpoint of the food chemist. It is the active principle of citrus-fruits, such as grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges, etc. Lemons contain as high as five per cent of this acid. Citric acid is often used to make lemonade, and if pure citric acid is used, the manufactured product is equal to the original, except from a sentimental standpoint of having the genuine. The danger is, as in the case of adulterated vinegar, that the manufacturer may be tempted to use cheaper mineral acids instead of citric acid.