Spoiler: It’s Not Lemon Juice
You’ve seen it listed in your favorite “all-natural” drinks, sauces, snacks, and supplements. It sounds innocent—citric acid—like something that came from a squeeze of lemon or a juicy lime.
But here’s the twist: citric acid has nothing to do with citrus anymore. The stuff that lands in your food today is a far cry from its original fruit-forward source. What was once a byproduct of sun-ripened oranges is now a mass-produced compound fermented from genetically modified black mold… and fed with cheap, inflammatory corn syrup.
Sounds like a science experiment? It is. And it’s happening inside almost everything on your grocery store shelf.
Let’s break it down.
1. 99% of Citric Acid Comes from GMO Mold
That’s not a typo. According to food manufacturing records, nearly all commercial citric acid—up to 99%—comes from an industrial fermentation process using Aspergillus niger, a black mold strain genetically modified to grow quickly and efficiently on sugar. It’s not squeezed from lemons. It’s grown in tanks.
This mold-based process became popular because it’s cheaper, more scalable, and less reliant on weather, farmers, or international shipping. But what’s cheaper for industry doesn’t always mean safer for you.
2. Citric Acid Used to Come from Citrus
Yes, once upon a time, citric acid was a direct byproduct of citrus juice production. Lemons, limes, and oranges were the primary sources, especially in countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece. The natural form was safe, simple, and tied to seasonal agriculture.
That all changed in the early 1900s, when scientists discovered they could ferment citric acid using mold. In 1917, chemist James Currie found that Aspergillus niger could produce citric acid when fed sugar—and just like that, lemons became obsolete.
What followed was a full industry pivot toward cheaper, lab-grown mold products.
3. The Mold is Fed Cheap GMO Corn Syrup
To maximize yield, manufacturers feed the mold a constant supply of GMO corn-derived glucose syrup—the same ultra-processed sweetener behind high fructose corn syrup. Not only does this reduce cost, it also increases the production of citric acid (and potentially residual toxins).
So now we’ve got GMO corn syrup feeding genetically modified mold… that creates a “natural” acid added to your sparkling water, supplement capsules, and “immune-boosting” gummies. What could go wrong?
4. Pfizer and Citric Acid: A Long History
Pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer played a major role in the industrialization of citric acid production. In fact, Pfizer was one of the first companies to commercialize mold-fermented citric acid back in the early 1900s, recognizing its potential as a preservative, flavor enhancer, and pH stabilizer for both food and drug applications.
Today, citric acid is still used in countless pharmaceuticals—from chewable tablets to IV solutions. Its broad use is part of why it’s so hard to avoid—and so important to question.
5. Citric Acid Is a Mycotoxin Factory
Let’s not forget: Aspergillus niger is a mold—and molds are known to release mycotoxins, toxic secondary metabolites that can damage the liver, immune system, and gut. While purified citric acid is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the FDA, there’s increasing concern about residual mycotoxins and inflammatory responses triggered by mold-derived additives.
People with mold sensitivities, autoimmune conditions, or gut issues often report symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and brain fog after consuming foods with citric acid. It’s not in their head—it’s in their bloodstream.
6. It Hides Under Other Names—Read the Label Closely
Citric acid doesn’t always call itself by name. It can appear under vague, industry-friendly terms like:
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“Natural preservatives”
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“Acidity regulators”
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“Chelating agents”
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“pH adjusters”
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“E330” (European labeling)
These aliases make it nearly impossible to avoid unless you’re reading every ingredient label—and even then, it may be hiding under a different guise. That’s by design. The food industry is legally allowed to group certain additives under umbrella categories that sound safer and simpler than the truth.
7. “Natural Flavors” Can Contain Citric Acid… and 800,000 Other Chemicals
The phrase “natural flavors” sounds clean, right? It’s anything but. That one innocent term can legally contain up to 100 different chemical compounds, many of which are synthetic or derived from genetically modified organisms. Citric acid is often included in natural flavor blends as a stabilizer or enhancer—and you won’t even know it.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the flavor industry has access to more than 800,000 flavoring chemicals, and most of them don’t require individual disclosure on product labels. It’s a catch-all term that hides far more than it reveals.
8. How to Detox from Mold and Protect Yourself
If you’ve been unknowingly consuming citric acid for years (join the club), the good news is your body has a built-in detox system—but it may need support. To gently detox from mold exposure and rebuild resilience, consider:
- Avoid added ingredients
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Infrared sauna or exercise to stimulate sweat and lymph flow
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An animal-based diet to provide retinol, zinc, and B vitamins for cell repair
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Avoidance of further exposure by removing processed foods with citric acid and mold-prone ingredients like peanuts, coffee, or old grains
And of course, stick with whole, real foods—like meat and fat—that don’t need preservatives in the first place.
That’s why we make Carnivore Bars with no citric acid, no natural flavors, and no mystery ingredients. Just tallow, beef, salt, and (if you choose) a little raw honey. Real food doesn’t need trickery to taste good—it’s naturally nourishing.
Citric Acid: A Natural Lie
Citric acid might sound like something your grandma squeezed into tea—but in reality, it’s a lab-grown, mold-fermented, corn-fed additive hiding in everything from vitamins to vinaigrettes. And for people dealing with chronic health issues, it could be adding fuel to the fire.
Read your labels. Question the word “natural.” And keep choosing real food over frankenfood. At Carnivore Bar, we’ll keep it simple, shelf-stable, and 100% mold-free.
References:
- Elzainy, T. A., et al. "Production of citric acid by Aspergillus niger using cane molasses in stirred fermentor." Journal of Industrial Microbiology, vol. 3, no. 4, 1988, pp. 301–306.
- Environmental Working Group. "The Truth About Natural Flavors." EWG.org, https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/truth-about-natural-flavors.
- Rychlik, Michael. "Mycotoxins in Processed Foods." Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, vol. 86, 2018, pp. 179–200.
- Sahgal, Geeta, et al. "Citric acid production: Surface and submerged fermentation." Current Science, vol. 77, no. 1, 1999, pp. 56–59.