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.
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
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 106 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Garlic
Pork, Garlic, Citric Acid, Potato, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle — Tangy Ice Pop
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Beet, Cherry, Carob, Turmeric
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Betty Crocker Toy Story Fruit Snacks 10 Count
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Sugar Free Mixed Fruit in Cherry Flavored Gel, Cherry
Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Corn
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Lemonade Juice Drink, Lemonade
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Oroweat — 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Grape, Soybean, Yeast (Baker's), Lecithin (Soy), Corn, Barley, Citric Acid, Whey
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Orville Redenbachers Movie Theatre Butter Popcorn, 17.41 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Colewillaidan Llc — Irish Mussels in Tomato & Garlic Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Basil, Parsley
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg's Other Licensed Fruit Pieces Barbie .8oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Mtn Dew Soda 2 Liter Plastic Bottle
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Seagrams Ginger Ale Can, 7.5 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Ginger
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Candy Berries 1x3.6 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Coca-cola Cherry Zero Bottles, 16.9 Fl Oz, 6 Pack
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Boar's Head Provision Co., Inc. — Hard Salami
Pork, Beef, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Greek Frozen Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Cherry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Minute Maid, Drops, Fruit Punch, Apple, Grape, Pinneapple
Apple, Grape, Citric Acid, Pineapple, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Odoms Tennessee Pride Sausage Biscuit Patties
Pork, MSG, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
SMALL CURD LOWFAT COTTAGE CHEESE & PEACH TOPPING
Cottage Cheese, Cow's Milk, Whey, Peach, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Halls Kids Lollipops Orange 1x10 Pc
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Kids Fat Freechristmas20x14 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Cran-grape, Diet Grape Cranberry Juice Drink
Grape, Cranberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Del Monte, Diced Peaches
Peach, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Crisp & Cool Thirst Quencher
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ami Wholesale Distributors, Inc — Golden Pound Cake
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Egg White, Egg Yolk, Soybean, Corn, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Red Tea
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
Search Any Product
Check any grocery product against the full MRT 176 panel — not just Citric Acid.
Open the Food Checker