A “Safe” Ingredient Hiding in Many Natural Products and Why Mold-Sensitive Families Should Avoid it

by Shannon Ryan-Angel

A couple of years ago, my family’s world was completely turned upside down when we unknowingly became exposed to toxic mold in our rented home. Over the course of four years, my health began to deteriorate, and I struggled to understand why. My family members also started exhibiting strange, unexplainable symptoms, but we were at a loss for answers. It wasn’t until two back-to-back incidents of water damage occurred in the home that we finally uncovered the hidden culprit—mold. It lurked where we couldn’t see it, silently making us all sick. The fear and confusion during that time was overwhelming; we had no idea what was causing our mystery illness.

When Healing is Your Priority

In the midst of all of the things that had to occur once we found out about the mold in our home–packing, moving, finding a safe place to live–above all else, healing was our priority, and I started being extra cautious regarding what we put into our bodies, on our bodies, and what products we used inside of our home. We certainly didn’t need exposure to any additional toxins when we were desperately trying to heal. And unfortunately, we are surrounded by so much toxicity in today’s world, more than I even realized. It was then that I started on a mission to create a healthier life for my family, one product at a time.

Uncovering Citric Acid

When you are on a mold protocol, you take lots of supplements, and I wanted only the best supplements for my family. As I researched the products we were using, it was brought to my attention that our organic children’s multivitamin contained citric acid. I didn’t know much about citric acid and how it was made at that time. That’s when I went down the manufactured citric acid rabbit hole.

I quickly learned that most citric acid used in the products we purchase every day is manmade and not naturally occurring. While most citric acid used to actually come from citrus fruits, like lemon and lime, now many companies are cutting corners and using a cheaper, mass-produced version. I was shocked when I discovered exactly how this manufactured product was made. This is also when I learned there was the possibility that I was giving my kids the exact thing we were trying to detox from–MOLD!

Research shows that 99% of the world’s commercially produced citric acid is made from black mold, specifically Aspergillus niger. Add to that manufactured citric acid is in everything–supplements, food, beverages, cleaners, and cosmetics–and you can hardly avoid it! If you are sensitive to molds, you definitely want to start checking your labels.

Take Action

I contacted the supplement company directly, and they confirmed that their citric acid was indeed manufactured, meaning it was derived from mold. They told me it was a chemically “nature identical” compound, the same as the citric acid found in citrus fruits. It’s produced by a fermentation process that uses a strain of Aspergillus niger to convert sugar into citric acid. This process occurs on a starched-based product, like corn.

Aspergillus niger is removed during the purification process, but some people with mold sensitivities or allergies may still react to trace amounts or the metabolites produced during fermentation. Medical practitioners specializing in mold illness and environmental health, like Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker or Dr. Neil Nathan, have reported increased sensitivities to mold byproducts among their patients.

I was very concerned about manufactured citric acid (MCA) being made from mold. I no longer felt safe giving this product to my children every day. My family fought for over a year to ensure we got all the mycotoxins out of our systems, so it was a risk I wasn’t willing to take. The supplement company offered me a refund for their product. I could not believe we were healing from mold, and my kids were taking this mold-derived supplement daily. I wanted to put a stop to that immediately.

Our family needs to be mold-free, so now I read every single label to ensure our products do not contain citric acid. If a product does contain citric acid, and there is a reason I need to use it, I contact the company to confirm how it is sourced. I’ve found that most companies dance around the topic, because they know people aren’t comfortable hearing this information. But being an advocate for our health, we persist in our quest for healthier living.

Additional Citric Acid Information

I like to back up my decisions with research. A 2018 study titled “Potential role of the common food additive manufactured citric acid in eliciting significant inflammatory reactions contributing to serious disease states: A series of four case reports” discusses the impacts manufactured citric acid can have on your body. The study highlights that Aspergillus niger is a potent allergen, and manufactured citric acid may be causing inflammatory cascades. Even more frightening, it states, “Manufactured citric acid may be contributing to the inflammation seen in asthma, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, autistic spectrum disorder, and fibromyalgia.” It is important to point out that the safety of manufactured citric has not been studied since the FDA granted it GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status. This means that even though it’s considered safe, there could be potential health risks they are unaware of.

Many of us with mold toxicity also receive a diagnosis of CIRS – Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. If manufactured Citric Acid has the potential to cause additional inflammation in the body, then, it is my opinion that anyone with any mold or inflammatory issues should avoid it in their supplements, food, beverages, cosmetics, and household products.

What I Do Now

If you look in your pantry at home, you can find citric acid in items like crunchy snacks, canned and jarred food, pre-packaged meals, and soda. My kids love spaghetti, and I’ve had to find new brands of sauce and pasta to avoid citric acid. There are many hidden sources of manufactured citric acid, so it’s essential to check all your labels. A small amount of an ingredient may not be a big deal, but when you consume something repeatedly, there is a cumulative effect on your body. We need to consider the long-term impact of manufactured citric acid consumption.

You will also find lots of manufactured citric acid under your sink, as it is contained in many cleaning products. Thankfully, I found alternatives that were safe for my family. I was extremely nervous when moving items into our new home because I feared mold cross-contamination. I was happy to find products like the Mirco Balance Health Products line that do not use citric acid. Knowing it was a healthier and less toxic cleaning option allowed me to have confidence in cleaning our belongings and home.

I’m happy to say that my family is healing from mold toxicity, and we are hopeful for the future. We moved into our new home a little over a year ago, and with each day that passes, we are one step further away from the nightmare we experienced as a result of toxic mold exposure.

Throughout this process, I’ve learned we must be our own best advocates. No one knows our bodies like we do. Many don’t understand the dangers of mold, and I believe it’s up to those of us who have experienced it firsthand to educate the public. Many people are sick from toxic mold, and they have no idea. I’ve become so passionate about healing the body from a root cause perspective that I’m now studying to become an Integrative Health Practitioner. I believe I was put on this toxic mold journey for a reason, and if I can help others come out of this situation stronger, then it was all worth it. Please know that healing is possible. It’s time to reclaim your health!