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 132 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Grape Jelly, Grape
Grape, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Guava Strawberry Lemonade Juice Beverage From Concentrate, Guava Strawberry
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Strawberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Iced Tea, Lemon
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Unilever — London Fog Latte Black Tea Concentrate, London Fog Latte
Cane Sugar, Tea, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Tomato Sauce, 8 Oz
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Chili Pepper
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Green Chile Salsa - Plastic Jug, 1 Gal
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Bulk Fat Free0x13.2 Lb
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Assorted Soft Candy Assorted Fat Free12x5 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Brisk Lemonade Juice Drink 12 Fluid Ounce Can
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Mtn Dew Soda (24 - 16.9 Fl Oz) 405.6 Fluid Ounce 24 Pack Plastic Bottles
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Sprite Bottles, 12 Fl Oz, 12 Pack
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Halls Soothers Candy Black Currant
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, Carrot, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria Fine Foods Llc — Victoria, Lupini Beans
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Dannon, Fruit On the Bottom Lowfat Yogurt, Lemon
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mediterranean Bistro Whole Green Olives
Olive, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Whole Kernel Southwest Corn with Poblano & Red Peppers
Corn, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — ICED COFFEE DRINK WITH DOMORI COCOA & LOWFAT MILK
Cow's Milk, Coffee, Caffeine, Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — KIWI MELON KIWI AND MELON FLAVORED BEVERAGE WITH A 34% JUICE BLEND OF 4 VEGETABLE AND FRUIT JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE WITH GREEN TEA, KIWI MELON
Apple, Carrot, Citric Acid, Grape, Sweet Potato, Tea
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Barilla G & R F.lli S.p.a. — Barilla, Tomato & Basil Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Basil, Olive, Oregano
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — ICE CUBES SUGAR FREE GUM, COOL ORANGE
Aspartame, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Tradewinds, Slow Brewed Iced Green Tea, Honey
Tea, Cane Sugar, Honey, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's Llp — Mistic, Mango Mania, Juice Drink, Mango
Corn, Fructose, Pear, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Mixed Fruit
Pineapple, Strawberry, Peach, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Half & Half Milk
Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — TEXAS STYLE SWEET TEA, TEXAS STYLE
Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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