The history
 In 1769, tartaric acid was first discovered by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele.

Existence and Preparation
 L-tartaric acid is widely present in fruits, especially grapes. Is the optical activity of tartaric acid cheapest, often referred to as "natural tartaric acid." Industry, L-tartaric acid is still the main or even sole source of natural products. Wine industry by-products of tartar, acid treatment can be obtained by L-tartaric acid. Italy is the worlds largest producer of L-tartaric acid the country, which made ​​the wine with the size of the country are not unrelated.

 D-tartaric acid is very rare in natural products, but relatively high levels present in a plant in Mali, West Africa.

 Racemic tartaric acid by hydrogen peroxide in the industry and the role of maleic anhydride, after hydrolysis, South Africa is a major producer.

 Industrial applications
 Use of tartaric acid is the largest beverage additives. And industrial raw materials of drugs. In contemporary organic synthesis is very important chiral ligands and hand temper, used to produce many well-known chiral catalysts, as well as the chiral source to synthesize complex natural product molecules. Tartaric acid is an antioxidant, has applications in the food industry. Biochemical tests can be used as an oxygen scavenger.