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 134 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Welch's — Cranberry Grape Gelatin, Cranberry Grape
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Campbell Soup Company — JUICE BEVERAGE, TROPICAL BLEND
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Grape, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Ruby Red, Juice Drink, Red Grapefruit
Grapefruit, Cane Sugar, Beet, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. — Red Barn, Craft Soda, Zesty Lemon Lime
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sahara Cuisine — Whole Foods Market, Sweet Roasted Red Pepper
Citric Acid, Sesame, Lemon, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Marsh Supermarkets, Llc — Juice Cocktail Blended with Grape Juice From Concentrate
Cane Sugar, Grape, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good Humor-breyers Ice Cream — Star Wars Ice Pops
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, Cherry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Fruit Punch
Apple, Pear, Grape, Pineapple, Citric Acid, Fructose, Corn, Aspartame
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Citrus Salad Grapefruit & Oranges in Extra Light Syrup, Citrus Salad
Grapefruit, Orange, Cane Sugar, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Flame Grilled Burger
Beef, Cane Sugar, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — 100% Ruby Red Blend of 3 Juices From Concentrate with Added Ingredients, Ruby Red
Grapefruit, Grape, Apple, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — Strawberry Lowfat Milk, Strawberry
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Corn, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #3
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Cherry, Orange, Grape Flavored Fruity Snacks, Cherry, Orange, Grape
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Coconut, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg's Fruit Pieces Non-licensed Strawberry 2.5oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — Pure, Layered Fruit Bar, Pineapple
Apple, Pineapple, Lemon, Carrot, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Pineapple Topping, #5 Can, 53 Oz
Pineapple, Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Flavored Juice Beverage Blend From Concentrate, Sparkling Grapefruit
Apple, Grape, Orange, Grapefruit, Citric Acid, Radish
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Banquet Brown N Serve Original Links, 6.4 Oz
Pork, Turkey, Soybean, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — FIRE FRUIT VARIETY MIX SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, FIRE FRUIT VARIETY MIX
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Prego Sauces Sausage & Garlic
Tomato, Pork, Garlic, Onion, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Mtn Dew Soda 24 Fluid Ounce Can
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Izze Sparkling Grapefruit Juice Beverage 8.4 Fluid Ounce Aluminum Can
Apple, Grape, Orange, Grapefruit, Citric Acid, Radish
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Grape Soda Bottle, 16 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Strawberry Soda Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Campbell's Beverage Vegetable
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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