Tartaric acid is a white crystalline organic acid that occurs naturally in many plants, most notably in grapes. Its salt, potassium bitartrate, commonly known as cream of tartar, develops naturally in the process of winemaking. It is commonly mixed with sodium bicarbonate and is sold as baking powder used as a leavening agent in food preparation. The acid itself is added to foods as an antioxidant and to impart its distinctive sour taste.

DL - tartaric acid is widely used in trades such as foodstuff, medicine, chemical industry and light industry etc., and is chiefly used to make the tartaric acid salts, like antimony potassium tartrate, potassium sodium tartrate. Served as beer vesicant and foodstuff sourness agent and flavoring etc at the foodstuff trade and its sourness is the citric acid 1.3 times, and especially is suitable to do the sourness agent of the grape juice. This article is appraised as the excellent food additive by the FAO/WHO experts committee. It also has the very important effect in tannage, photograph, glass, enamel and telecommunication equipment etc.

1.Food Industry
- As acidifier and natural preservative for marmalades, ice cream, jellies, juices, preserves, and beverages.
- As effervescent for carbonated water.
- As emulsifier and preservative in the bread-making industry and in the preparation of candies and sweets. 2.Oenology: Used as an acidifier. Used in musts and wines to prepare wines that are more balanced from the point of view of taste, the result being an increase in their degree of acidity and a decrease in their pH content. 3.Pharmaceuticals Industry : Used as an excipient for the preparation of effervescent tablets.
4.Ponstruction Industry : Used in cement, plaster, and plaster of Paris to retard drying and facilitate the handling of these materials.
5.Cosmetics Industry :Used as a basic component of many natural body crèmes.