malic

top

CIDE DICTIONARY

malic, a. [L. malum an apple: cf. F. malique.].

Pertaining to, or obtained from, apples; as, malic acid. [1913 Webster]

Malic acid, (Chem.) a hydroxy acid (HO.CO.CH2.CH(OH).CO.OH) obtained from unripe fruit (such as green apples, currants, tomatoes or cherries) as a substance which is sirupy or crystallized with difficulty, and has a strong but pleasant sour taste. It is levorotatory or dextrorotatory according to the temperature and concentration; the natural form is of L- conformation. A synthetic variety is a derivative of succinic acid, but as with most simple synthetic compounds, is a racemic mixture of isomers and thus has no rotatory action on polarized light.