<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

And this is a PREVIOUS citric acid summary which has been sent to me!

Carole
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> Hi there,
> 
> Lots of input on the Citic Acid question.  Thank you all for responding.
> I greatly appreciate your help in sorting out this question.
> Robin
> Minnesota  (summary follows)
> 
> All saying mostly the same thing:
> 
> Generally if done by a USA manufacturer it is safe because it is corn
> derived *But* it can also be wheat derived.  If it is manufactured in
> another country then it may well *not* be safe.  The USA usually uses
> corn where other countries often use wheat.  Also I was told that
> Celiac.com lists it as safe.  (I personally have to be better about
> remembering to check these sources before asking a question to so many
> people!!!)
> 
> See some of the individual replies below:
> 
> See the last issue of Gluten Free Living. It explains exactly why citric
> acid is not a problem.
> **********************************
> Here is what I learned about citric acid.  It is not from citrus fruit,
> it is derived from a food mold called aspargillus, and is used as a
> color preservative in many foods.    Many people, myself included, have
> developed a sensitivity to it because of Leaky Gut Syndrome. My doctor
> gave me this information after blood tests to identify what foods I had
> become sensitized to.  Theoretically, if you avoid these foods for many
> months, your intestines can heal and you can then eat more normally (but
> still gf, of course!).
> **********************************
> Hi, I am Celiac, and have been told by my naturopath that I should avoid
> 
> all citrus fruits, and apples, as the acid is too harsh for my
> intestines.  Doctors (most of them) are not up on the Celiac thing
> enough
> to be able to advise what to eat or not.  I eat bananas, pears (a
> different
> acid), peaches, pineapple, but never citrus fruit.  And I must say that
> I
> do not suffer from not eating it.
> *********************************
> Citric acid, if from a USA mfger usually is made from corn;   and it is
> gf.
> ***********************************
> I was never told by a doctor to avoid citric acid but did find out it
> really, really does both me.   Very small amounts are OK with me, for
> instance the citric acid found in Pepsi is OK but the citric acid found
> in 7 up gives me trouble.  I think you have to find out what works for
> you which takes years and I a lot of self examination.
> ****************************
> You need to be careful with citric acid. If it is from outside the US,
> it may contain wheat, etc.  If a product contains citric acid, you would
> need to check with the manufacturer.
> 
> I make it a practice that nothing goes in the mouth unless it has been
> verified to be GF with the manufacturer -- regardless of ingredient
> statement.  I have been surprised a few times.
> **********************************
> I've heard from some sources that citric acid is never a problem, but
> I've also had the manufacturer of jarred pimentoes tell me that their
> citric acid contained a trace of gluten, although as I look back they
> might have been talking about corn gluten. I didn't know to ask at the
> time. The celiac.com list has citric acid as safe.
> 
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Minnesota (please see response below)
***************
You pays your money and you takes your choice.  It is possible that
Citric Acid may be derived from grain, including wheat.  However it is
sold to very high purity standards and the major impurity is water. This
leaves so little room for any gluten type contamination that my wife
does not bother about the possibility.  If you are allergic, it is
possible (though unlikely) that there might be enough protein present to
trigger an allergic response.  Commercial separation of small molecules
from big ones is so easy that probability of contamination with those
big molecules is extreme small (and in any case would be quite obvious
and quickly lead to the withdrawal of the offending chemical).

You have to decide for yourself whether you go this way or not.  We're
in the UK and it's clear that food law is very different in the US (many
of our US friends are very envious of the availability and certainty we
have here).  The purity data I'm quoting are from the Chinese supplier's
web site from some years ago when the question first arose.  I don't
have the site any longer but it was quite easy to find using "Google"
and any person with a bit of science and a bit of chemistry or biology
can work out from the data given roughly what the maximum contamination
risk is.  I've also worked in the food industry and this gives me some
additional knowledge of how the purification processes are likely to
have been carried out.

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List*