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

Hi All:  Here are some of the responses I received regarding "Food
Additives":

According to the CSA/USA booklet "A Case for the Gluten-Free Diet",
citric acid is "commonly derived by fermentation of molasses from cane
or beet sugar syrup.  Is a fermentation process with aspergillus niger
or yeast.  Can also be extracted from citrus fruits and from pineapple
waste.  When fermented from corn syrup and aspergillus niger, it appears
not to be a problem ingredient for celiacs; when fermented with any
source and yeast, it then becomes a problem for mold sensitive and mold
intolerant patients (trehalose intolerance)."

With regard to dextrin: "Dextrin is seen as an incomplete hydrolyzed
starch; made by dry heating corn, milo, potato, arrowroot, wheat, rice
tapioca or sago starch.  Or: by dry heating these starches after
treatment with alkalis, acids, or pH control agents.  Seen as a polymer
of glucose and is intermediate in structure between starch and maltose.
Commercial dextrin may also be known as starch sugar; is a white or
yellowish (off-color) powder, in aqueous solution forming mucilage.  The
treatment with alkali or acid control agents is thought to be minute,
but measurable; the more critical problem is the potential use for
wheat.  Celiacs are best advised to avoid all products with dextrin
unless it is labeled as corn dextrin, tapioca dextrin, etc."

There is a lot on this subject in the Archives. I have been researching
this problem for two days. The answer to your question is most of the
citric acid used in the U.S. is made with a corn base. It also can be
made with a wheat base. I just had a Pharmacist tell me that if he made
up a solution that I need to dissolve kidney stones, he could not be
guaranteed that the citric acid would be corn based. From the archives
they say that the manufactures don't even know what the base is. (wheat
or corn). Energy foods does guarantee their products to have corn based
citric acid. I am going to negotiate with them Monday to see if they
will sell me some of their citric acid.


Some citric acid is gluten base so you need to check.

Most dextrins are corn base, in Canada they are corn I 'm not sure
elsewhere so you should check.

You might check this list.
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/spa/4003/gf-ongoing.html


Dextrose is almost always corn.  Maltodextrin can be from corn, potato,
tapioca, or other starches which includes glutenous ones.


There is nothing wrong with citric acid.  CSA gives out erroneous
information, and they tell celiacs to stay away from everything that
anybody has ever had a reaction to, whether it is gluten free or not!!
Canola oil is fine, so is annatto coloring, so is vinegar (not malt
vinegar though), quineoa, buckwheat, are fine!  Email Cynthia Kupper at
[log in to unmask] and ask her for the new dietary guidelines for Celiac
that the U.S. and Canadian dietician associations just came out with,
and DON"T LISTEN TO CSA!!  Good luck!!


Citric acid that originates in the US is OK. If it comes from China it's
probably bad. -vance