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 139 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Tonic Water Contains Quinine
Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Fructose
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Cedar's, Hommus, Roasted Pine Nuts
Sesame, Sunflower, Olive, Garlic, Citric Acid, Cumin, Parsley
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Preferred Wholesale, Inc. — Medium Pineapple Salsa
Tomato, Pineapple, Onion, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Raft — Smoked Tea Vanilla Syrup
Cane Sugar, Tea, Vanilla, Citric Acid, Rosemary
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc./poland Spring — Poland Spring, Nature's Blends, Spring Water & Real Jice, Mango Peach
Cane Sugar, Grape, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Imported Giardiniera Pickled Vegetables
Cauliflower, Carrot, Chili Pepper, Olive, Celery, Cucumber, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Stewed Tomatoes with Italian Herbs
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Onion, Celery, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Garlic, Basil, Oregano
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Diced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice
Peach, Grape, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Apple Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon
Oat, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Cinnamon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Mandarin Oranges in Fruit Juice, Mandarin Oranges
Orange, Grape, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Grape Punch Flavored Drink, Grape Punch
Corn, Fructose, Grape, Citric Acid, Apple
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Snack Pack Strawberry Gels, 33 Oz
Cane Sugar, Apple, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Carob, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kill Cliff, Llc — Cherry Limeade Performance Energy Drink, Cherry Limeade
Citric Acid, Tea, Ginger
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands Inc — HUNTS Spicy Spaghetti Sauce, 24 OZ
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Northern Neck Ginger Ale Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Corn, Fructose, Ginger, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Strawberry Soda Bottle, 1.25 Liters
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Honest Tea Assam Black Glass Bottle, 16 Fl Oz
Tea, Cane Sugar, Maple Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Red Peppers
Citric Acid, Solanine
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Light Juice Drink, Cranberry
Apple, Cranberry, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Portabella Mushroom Organic Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Mushroom, Onion, Olive, Carrot, Garlic, Citric Acid, Oregano, Thyme, Black Pepper, Basil
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Wave, Juice Drink, Mango Pineapple
Cane Sugar, Beet, Apple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. — Waterful, Keurig Kold, Flavored Water, Citrus Celebration
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria Amory & Co. Llc — Romesco Sauce
Almond, Cane Sugar, Cherry, Citric Acid, Garlic, Hazelnut, Olive, Paprika, Tomato
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Tater Puffs
Potato, Canola/Rapeseed, Corn, Apple, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Nonfat Yogurt Drink Protein Smoothie
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Whey, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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