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 133 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Unilever Bestfoods North America — ROASTED GARLIC SAUCE, ROASTED GARLIC
Canola/Rapeseed, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 Beverage Vegetable Bloody Mary
Tomato, Lemon, Cane Sugar, Onion, Chili Pepper, Black Pepper, Garlic, Celery, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — PEPPERONI CUP N' CRISP, PEPPERONI
Pork, Beef, Corn, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Original Nonfat Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LEMONADE JUICE, LEMONADE
Lemon, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Recipe & Seasoning Mix, Lemon Pepper Dill Tilapia
Wheat, Yeast (Baker's), Cane Sugar, Garlic, Lemon, Onion, Black Pepper, Dill, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Dannon, Dairy Drink, Pecan
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Tapioca, Whey, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Cedar's, Beet Scallion Hommus
Beet, Sunflower, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Barilla G & R F.lli S.p.a. — Bruschetta Alla Siciliana
Tomato, Sunflower, Basil, Garlic, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Fresh Produce N.a., Inc. — Hot Salsa
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Lemon, Garlic, Parsley, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Lime, Coriander/Cilantro
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Sockarooni Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Olive, Mushroom, Carrot, Basil, Onion, Garlic, Parsley, Oregano
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Watermelon Punch Natural Watermelon Flavor
Fructose, Corn, Pear, Apple, Watermelon, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Fruit Snacks
Apple, Carrot, Blueberry, Lemon, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — Hard Salami
Pork, Beef, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Family Favorite Beef Stew Sauce, 15 Oz
Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's), Beef, Sesame, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Prego Sauces Marinara
Tomato, Olive, Onion, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Basil, Citric Acid, Black Pepper, Oregano
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Mtn Dew Throwbck 12floz Cn Sgl
Cane Sugar, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Gold Peak Sweetened Green Tea Bottle, 52 Fl Oz
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Bottles, 12 Fl Oz, 12 Pack
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bassetts Jelly Babies Candy Santas 570 Gr
Cane Sugar, Corn, Sodium Metabisulfite, Beef, Apple, Strawberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid, Wheat
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 Beverage Tomato
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Italian Recipe Tomatoes
Tomato, Garlic, Citric Acid, Oregano, Basil, Thyme
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Adolph's, Prime Cut, Seafood Marinade Mix
Chili Pepper, Garlic, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Paprika, Lemon, Lime
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — CHIPOTLE HOMMUS, CHIPOTLE
Sesame, Sunflower, Chili Pepper, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Root Beer Soda, Root Beer
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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