Solution

Food

It is used to wash fruits in factories. Chemical peeling of fruits and vegetables also involves use of KOH.

It is used to produce caramel color. It is required for processing soft drinks, chocolate, and cocoa. Commercially processed foods contain KOH. It is widely used as a food additive, because it acts as a thickener (for example, in ice creams) and stabilizer. It helps increase the shelf life of the food. It helps soften olives, but at the same time, it makes pretzels crisp.