What Is Citric Acid

Citric acid appears in nearly every product lining the shelves of our grocery stores, from beverages and canned goods to snacks and cleaning supplies.

What is citric acid, and how is it made? Why does it seem to end up in so many of the foods we eat and the cleaners we use? There’s no reason to rename Lemon or Lime when they’re listed as ingredients, so why is the citrus flavor often labeled simply as citric acid instead of calling it lemon or lime?

99% of the world's citric acid is derived from microbial fermentation of sugary substrates. Aspergillus niger or "black mold" is what most citric acid is made from. Usually fed with Sugar. Aspergillus Niger is created in fermenting or spoiling products, like fruits among other products.

However, what no one wants us to know is where the US creates this supposed “vital” flavoring. Scraping bacteria off the top of feces and compost is not the best way to source a product that ultimately absorbs into every human body. If you want to understand why we see so many bacterial infections, consider that we are feeding fecal bacteria into processes and using them in products to recreate lemon-lime, citrus flavors — instead of simply sourcing the flavor naturally.

So the next time you go to the store, pay attention. Read that label carefully. If you spot citric acid listed among the ingredients, take a moment to rethink whether that product deserves a place in your cart. This will likely frustrate you — it’s in everything, even items labeled organic. Even organically derived citric acid isn’t necessarily a better choice. We don’t need to keep manufacturing ingredients just to fake or amp up flavor. Make it a simple choice. Add lemon /lime or Citrus juice the natural way.