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 131 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Conagra Brands — Act Ii Butter Popcorn, 8.75 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Iced Tea, Raspberry
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — CHERRY LOW FAT SNACK PULL 'N' PEEL CANDY, CHERRY
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Prego Sauces Tomato
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 Beverage Kiwi Melon
Sweet Potato, Apple, Watermelon, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Smcrnsplnatswtn 12 Fl Oz Can-ia
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Berry Soda Cans, 7.5 Fl Oz, 6 Pack
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria Fine Foods Llc — Victoria, Roasted Red Peppers
Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Gourmet, Zesty Lemon & Pepper Seasoning Salt
Black Pepper, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Pineapple Banana Whip Spoonable Smoothies, Pineapple Banana
Pineapple, Banana, Citric Acid, Oat, Coconut, Honey, Canola/Rapeseed, Almond
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Old El Paso Pork Carnitas Slow Cooker Seasoning Mix
Corn, Onion, Cumin, Garlic, Chili Pepper, Paprika, Citric Acid, Cinnamon, Canola/Rapeseed, Soybean
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Caffeine Free Cranberry Lemon Lime Flavored Splash Soda, Cranberry Lemon Lime
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Act Ii Extreme Butter, 16.5 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Cran-raspberry, Juice Drink, Cranberry Raspberry
Cane Sugar, Beet, Apple, Cranberry, Raspberry, Grape, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Preferred Wholesale, Inc. — Medium Peach Salsa
Tomato, Peach, Onion, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Tradewinds, Jimmy Buffett's Island Iced Tea, Paradise Punch Hibiscus Tea
Cane Sugar, Apple, Pear, Orange, Citric Acid, Tea
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Mild Italian Cooked Sausage
Pork, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Marsh Supermarkets, Llc — Jam
Grape, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
British Wholesale Imports, Inc. — Heinz, Classic Cream of Tomato Soup, Original
Tomato, Corn, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton, Iced Herbal Tea, Berry Flavor with Other Natural Flavor, K-cup Pods, Berry Flavor with Other Natural Flavor
Corn, Tapioca, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Blueberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Diced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice
Peach, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — NON DIARY LOW-FAT PROTEIN SHAKE, CHOCOLATE
Cow's Milk, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Cocoa, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Classico — Riserva Basil Pesto
Olive, Basil, Cow's Milk, Walnut, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Lemon Italian Soda, Lemon, Italian
Lemon, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Company — Chilled Oat Cereal with Quinoa & Flaxseed
Oat, Peach, Cane Sugar, Rice, Citric Acid, Pecan, Quinoa
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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