In a recovery process for citric acid from fermentation broth, 100 kg/hr of a fresh aqueous feed solution of 10 wt% citric acid and 400 ppm of a non-volatile non-ionic impurity is mixed with a recycle stream. The combined stream has 12 wt% citric acid and is concentrated in an evaporator by removing some water such that the ED unit equipped with a membrane stack for electrodialysis. The permeate from the ED is an aqueous solution of citric acid without the impurity and a reject solution that contains 20 wt% citric acid. The reject forms the basis of the recycle stream that mixes with the fresh feed. The permeate is sent to a vacuum dryer where all water is removed as one stream and a second product stream of dry pure citric acid is obtained. It is found that for every 10 kg of water removed in the evaporator, 1 kg of water is removed in the vacuum dryer.