The term "acid test," originally referring to a procedure for determining the authenticity of gold, today means any crucial or severe method for assessing value. Put acidulants under that kind of rigorous measure, and because of their special and varied properties, they would certainly qualify as meeting the acid test and probably even surpassing it.
In fact, without these ingredients, the formulation of foods and beverages would be dramatically altered. For example, fruit-flavored beverages and …