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(Belgium) cannot find sodium citrate (for mac & cheese) 🧀 (belgae.social)
submitted 1 month ago by to c/cooking@mander.xyz
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cross-posted from: https://belgae.social/post/2229041

I found only two sources in Brussels for “citrate de sodium”:

  • pharmacy: €50 for 250g
  • in a packet of lemon chicken flavoring in an Asian shop

I’m not going to pay €50 to a pharmacist in order to make a smoother macaroni and cheese. I’m also not interested in bringing in flavored Asian sauces. One option would be to go to the American section of a large grocery store and buy a Kraft mac & cheese kit. Fuck that. I boycott Kraft Heinz. Probably would not find Velvita, but if I did it’s a bit off to be making mac & cheese from scratch and then having to resort to a kit of sorts anyway.

Is there a better option?

It seems fondu with cheese is a thing here. How are people emulsifying their cheese for that?

Update: it’s apparently European additive “E331” which groups 3 different things. Are they about the same for emulsifying cheese? Note as well that it’s not in the emulsifier grouping of additives for some reason.

Should I try a vet?

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[–] 6 points 1 month ago

If you really can't find any off the shelf, you could try making it yourself. The reagents are cheap and common -- anhydrous citric acid (powder), water, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

e.g. https://survivorshipnowvt.org/how-to-make-sodium-citrate/

I see other instructions online for making it with sodium hydroxide (lye). Don't try that unless you have a hot plate, pH test strips, and safety gear like goggles, gloves, and a lab coat. Lye is strongly alkaline and fairly dangerous at high concentrations.

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