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 136 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Black Pepper & Sea Salt Potato Chips, Black Pepper & Sea Salt
Potato, Sunflower, Safflower, Canola/Rapeseed, Corn, Black Pepper, Rice, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Family Favorite Pizza Sauce, 15 Oz
Tomato, Citric Acid, Garlic, Cow's Milk, Carrot, Olive
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Carr's Crackers Twbs Roasted Garlic and Herb 4.25oz
Wheat, Garlic, Citric Acid, Canola/Rapeseed
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Medium Salsa
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Coriander/Cilantro, Lime, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Lipton Green Tea W/ Citrus 16.9 Fluid Ounces Pet Bottle Single
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Cane Sugar, Honey
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Sierra Mist 16.9ozpl Bott-ia
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Pepsico — Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea 1 Liter Plastic Bottle
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Barq's Red Creme Soda Can, 12 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Nabisco Triscuit Crackers Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil 1x9 Oz
Wheat, Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Black Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Olive, Citric Acid, Celery
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Culinary, Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning
Onion, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Bottle, 12 Fl Oz
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Sour Cherry
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Corn, Tapioca, Glycerin/Glycerol, Cherry, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Peach Probiotic Dairy Drink
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Peach, Corn, Turmeric, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Spaghetti Sauce
Tomato, Corn, Soybean, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
R. C. Bigelow, Inc. — Herbal Tea
Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Lemon, Mint/Menthol, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
H.j. Heinz Company — Banana Smoothie Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Strawberry, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Banana, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Bold & Intense Thirst Quencher
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Minute Maid, Juice, Lemonade
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Jimmy Dean, Turkey Sausage Patties
Turkey, Soybean, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Sliced Cling Peaches in Extra Light Syrup
Peach, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — Hot & Spicy Taco Seasoning Mix, Hot & Spicy
Corn, Paprika, Onion, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Cranberry Pomegranate Flavored Juice Drink with Another Juice From Concentrate, Cranberry Pomegranate
Cane Sugar, Grape, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Wild Blueberry Almond Organic Trail Mix Bar, Wild Blueberry Almond
Almond, Tapioca, Blueberry, Cane Sugar, Cashew, Rice, Soybean, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Tomato Condensed Soup, Tomato
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Wheat, Soybean, Onion, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Strawberry Fruit Bars, Strawberry
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Carob, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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