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 112 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Clif Bar and Company — Clif, Shot Energy Gel, Strawberry
Corn, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Original Meat Tenderizing Marinade, Original
Corn, Cane Sugar, Paprika, Black Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Beef, Citric Acid, Pineapple
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Original Acai Blend with Fruit & Granola Bowls, Original
Banana, Blueberry, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid, Coconut, Honey, Oat, Strawberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Taboule Salad
Tomato, Parsley, Sunflower, Olive, Wheat, Onion, Lemon, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — No Sugar Added Mandarin Oranges in Water Sweetened with Stevia & Monk Fruit Extract
Orange, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Welch's — Strawberry Peach Low Calorie Drink Mix, Strawberry Peach
Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — Sweet and Sour Fruit Flavored Snacks, Berry
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Family Favorite Lasagna Sauce, 15 Oz
Tomato, Spinach, Onion, Soybean, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's), Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Ro*tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, 28 Ounce, 28 Oz
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Coriander/Cilantro
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — Energy Drink, Kiwi Apple
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tea of a Kind — Grapefruit Guava Yerba Mate Real Brewed Tea, Grapefruit Guava Yerba Mate
Tea, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Mott's LLP — CITRUS & BERRY NON ALCOHOLIC SANGRIA MIX, SANGRIA, CITRUS & BERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Feisty Cherry Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — 5th Season, Seasoned Salt
Onion, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid, Corn
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Lawry's, Garlic Spread
Soybean, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Tapioca, Garlic, Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Carrot
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Herb with Lemon Seafood Rub
Onion, Black Pepper, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Corn, Lemon, Sunflower, Citric Acid, Parsley
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Contadina, Petite Cut, Diced Roma Style Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Diet Sparkling Juice Beverage
Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Sara Lee, Honey Maple Turkey Breast
Turkey, Honey, Maple Sugar, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tyson Foods, Inc. — Greek Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Yogurt
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ICED TEA, RASPBERRY PATCH
Citric Acid, Tea, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Corn
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Culinary Broth
Chicken, Grape, Onion, Celery, Yeast (Baker's), Cane Sugar, Carrot, Garlic, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Apple
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Market Pantry — Teriyaki Beef Jerky
Beef, Cane Sugar, Wheat, Soybean, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Mango Pineapple with White Cranberries Apple White Cranberry Juice Drink From Concentrate, Mango Pineapple with White Cranberries
Cane Sugar, Beet, Apple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — CRANBERRY WATERMELON FLAVORED 100% JUICE BLEND OF 4 JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE, CRANBERRY WATERMELON
Apple, Pear, Grape, Cranberry, Watermelon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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