Citric Acid in Grocery Products
Citric Acid is an MRT 176 panel substance found in 7,950 of the 20,682 products in our database. Here's every product we've analyzed that contains it.
7,950
Products Found
38.4%
Of All Products
210
Low Risk (0-2)
6,654
High Risk (5+)
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
210
2.6%
Low Risk (0-2 triggers)
1,086
13.7%
Moderate (3-4 triggers)
6,654
83.7%
High Risk (5+ triggers)
Citric acid is one of 27 chemical additives tested on the MRT 176 panel, and it is by far the most prevalent. We found it in 38% of all grocery products in our database — that’s nearly 8,000 items.
While citric acid occurs naturally in citrus fruits, the citric acid used in food manufacturing is almost exclusively produced through Aspergillus niger fermentation of corn sugar. This means manufactured citric acid may trigger reactions in people sensitive to corn as well as those sensitive to citric acid itself.
Citric acid is used as a preservative, pH adjuster, and flavor enhancer. It appears in beverages, canned goods, condiments, snacks, and even some fresh-cut produce. If citric acid is on your Red list, finding packaged food without it is one of the biggest challenges of the LEAP protocol.
Related Reading
- What Does “Natural Flavors” Actually Mean? — Citric acid is often hidden inside “natural flavors”
- Products with the fewest MRT triggers overall
All Products Containing Citric Acid — Page 102 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Diced Peaches
Peach, Cane Sugar, Cinnamon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Pomegranate Licorice Twists
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Corn, Tapioca, Glycerin/Glycerol, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — ORIGINAL TURKEY SMOKED SNACK STICK, ORIGINAL TURKEY
Turkey, Corn, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Frost Rain Lime Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Minute Maid, Pink Lemonade
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Strawberry Sundae Bar, Pouch, 59 Oz
Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Odoms Tennessee Pride Mild Patties, 12 Oz
Pork, Cane Sugar, MSG, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — MELON BOLD & INTENSE THIRST QUENCHER, MELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Barqs French Vanilla Cream Soda Bottle, 2 Liters
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Del Monte, Orchard Select, Sliced Cling Peaches
Peach, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Classic Iced Tea, Cranberry
Cane Sugar, Beet, Cranberry, Tea, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Premium Soda
Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Clif, Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix, Cranberry Razz
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Beet
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — 365 Everyday Value, Organic Ice Cream Bars, Lemon Cream
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Tapioca, Lemon, Turmeric, Citric Acid, Egg Yolk
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Cajun Style Turkey Breast
Turkey, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Pink Lemonade
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. — Snapple, Peach Iced Tea
Cane Sugar, Tea, Citric Acid, Aspartame
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Mixed Fruit Diced Peaches & Pears in Cherry Flavored Gel, Cherry
Peach, Pear, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Diet Cranberry Raspberry Juice Drink From Concentrate
Cranberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — Lowfat Greek Yogurt, Cinnamon Roll
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Cinnamon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Welch's — Grape Drink Mix
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Tropical Mango Antioxidant Hydration with Electrolytes, Tropical Mango
Cane Sugar, Watermelon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Oh - La - La - Cafe - Latte Not-so-traditional Blended Greek Yogurt, Oh - La - La - Cafe - Latte
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Carrot, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Lemonade Zero Sugar Drink, Lemonade
Lemon, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Corn, Aspartame
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Afc Trading & Wholesale, Inc. — Smoky Chipotle Flavor Vegan Jerky, Smoky Chipotle
Soybean, Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Chili Pepper, Green Pea, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Cinnamon, Black Pepper
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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