Fruits
Lemon Juice in gelato
Lemon juice is the fresh, acidic juice of Citrus limon, about 92% water with only ~2.5 g sugar and ~5-6 g citric acid per 100 g. In gelato it works as a flavor base for lemon sorbetto and as an acidulant that brightens fruit mixes and lightly lowers the freezing point.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 7.7% |
| Water | 92.3% |
| Sugars | 2.5% |
| Fat | 0.2% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0.35% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 3 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 4.4 |
Typical use: 3-25% of the recipe: a few percent as an acidulant in fruit mixes; 15-25% as the main flavor in lemon sorbetto.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Use lemon juice two ways. As the primary flavor in lemon sorbetto it typically makes up 15-25% of the mix, supplying acidity and freshness while contributing little sugar (~2.5 g/100 g). As an acidulant, a few percent added to other fruit sorbets and gelati sharpens flavor, balances sweetness and helps preserve fresh fruit color. Its POD is low (~3, sugar-driven) and its sugar-based PAC is ~4.4; note that its high citric-acid load adds extra freezing-point depression beyond the sugar model, so heavy lemon sorbetti scoop slightly softer than sugar math alone predicts. Because it is strongly acidic (pH ~2.3), add it after heating, protect acid-sensitive stabilizers, and rebalance total sugars to keep body.
Origin & background
The lemon (Citrus limon) is a hybrid of citron and sour orange spread through the Mediterranean by the 12th-13th centuries, and lemon sorbetto is among the oldest Italian frozen desserts. Its defining trait is exceptional acidity: French CIQUAL/Aprifel data report about 6.0 g organic acids per 100 g, of which ~5.9 g is citric acid, one of the highest citric-acid levels of any common fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, 'Lemon juice, raw', FDC ID 167747 (via nutritionvalue.org mirror): https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Lemon_juice%2C_raw_nutritional_value.html
- ANSES-CIQUAL French food composition table, 'Jus de citron pur jus' (2017/2020): https://www.laurentberta.com/aliment/boissons/boissons-sans-alcool/jus/jus-de-citron-pur-jus
- Aprifel / CIQUAL nutritional sheet, Lemon (organic acids & citric acid reference): https://www.aprifel.com/en/nutritional-sheet/lemon/