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 141 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Minute Maid Company — Minute Maid, Tropical Punch
Fructose, Corn, Pineapple, Orange, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Southwest Chicken Quesadilla Seasoning Mix, Southwest Chicken
Chili Pepper, Oregano, Paprika, Cumin, Onion, Corn, Garlic, Tomato, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lime
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Snackers
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters Canada — Water Beverage, Strawberry Melon
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Conagra Brands — Rotel Fire Roasted, 10 Oz
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Coriander/Cilantro
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix
Chili Pepper, Corn, Onion, Canola/Rapeseed, Soybean, Sunflower, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Berry Fat Free6x1.9 Lb
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Pepsi Zero Sugar Cola 12 Fluid Ounce Aluminum Can
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bassetts Candy
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Paprika, Turmeric, Coconut
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Gold Peak Diet Tea Bottles, 16.9 Fl Oz, 6 Pack
Tea, Citric Acid, Aspartame
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's LLP — MANGO PEACH APPLESAUCE, MANGO PEACH APPLE
Apple, Mango, Peach, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CITRUS DRINK MIX, CITRUS
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Trader Joe's, Sambal Matah Indonesian Salsa
Sunflower, Chili Pepper, Onion, Coconut, Soybean, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good Humor-breyers Ice Cream — Popsicle, Rainbow, Grape, Strawberry, Apple, Orange, Pineapple Flavored Ice Pop with Other Natural Flavor. a Quiescently Frozen Confection
Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Beet, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Organic Fruit+veggie Awesome Orange
Oat, Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Orange, Mango, Cocoa, Citric Acid, Vanilla, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England, Inc. — MOXIE, SODA
Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — CHUNKY SALSA, MILD, SPLASH OF LIME
Tomato, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Lime
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Fierce Grape Thirst Quencher (12 - 12 Fluid Ounce) 144 Fluid Ounce 12 Pack Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1, Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Post Consumer Brands, Llc — Oatmeal with Flax, Peaches & Cream
Oat, Cane Sugar, Peach, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — BANANA NON DAIRY PROTEIN SHAKE, BANANA
Cow's Milk, Whey, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Star — Guava Drink
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — FAVEREDS WATERMELON, CHERRY, STRAWBERRY, & FRUIT PUNCH FRUIT CHEWS VALENTINE EXCHANGE PACKS, FAVEREDS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Tapioca, Apple, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Banquet Original Patties
Pork, Turkey, Soybean, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — GREEN & RED SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, GREEN & RED
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
GENERAL MILLS SALES INC. — Betty Crocker Troll Fruit Snacks 10 Count
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Turmeric
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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