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 151 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Wholesome Three International Co., Ltd. — Wholesome, Black Sesame & Cashews Nut Clusters
Cashew, Sesame, Cane Sugar, Rice, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Lawry's, Lemon Pepper
Black Pepper, Citric Acid, Lemon, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — BUTTERSCOTCH SUNDAE SYRUP, BUTTERSCOTCH
Corn, Fructose, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — PULL 'N' PEEL CANDY LOW FAT SNACK, CHERRY
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GARLIC & HERB CHEDDAR SPREADABLE CHEESE, GARLIC & HERB CHEDDAR
Cow's Milk, Whey, Garlic, Parsley, Citric Acid, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Protein Smoothie Grade a Yogurt Drink
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Whey, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — GARDEN STYLE CHUNKY PASTA SAUCE, GARDEN STYLE CHUNKY
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Original Rounds Tortilla Chips, Original
Corn, Lime, Sunflower, Soybean, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Yellow Cling Peach Slices in Fruit Juice
Peach, Grape, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Company — CARAMEL APPLE FLAVOR INSTANT OATMEAL, CARAMEL APPLE
Oat, Cane Sugar, Apple, Sodium Metabisulfite, Cinnamon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — GUACAMOLE AND MORE SEASONING, GUACAMOLE AND MORE
Garlic, Onion, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Strawberry Energy Chews, Strawberry
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Carrot, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SOUTHERN SWEET TEA, SOUTHERN SWEET
Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — FROST BITE ZERO SUGAR SODA, FROST BITE
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Aspartame, Caffeine, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — ORNAMENTS SOFT & CHEWY CANDY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — ASSORTED FLAVORS HARD CANDY, ASSORTED
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
STRAWBERRY APPLESAUCE
Apple, Corn, Fructose, Strawberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
BACARDI MIXER MARGARITA CAN, 10 FL OZ
Corn, Fructose, Lime, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — CHEF BOYARDEE, MAC & CHEESE, PASTA IN CHEESE SAUCE, CHEF BOYARDEE, MAC & CHEESE, PASTA IN CHEESE SAUCE
Wheat, Cow's Milk, Soybean, Whey, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SODA, GRAPE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — CITRUS BERRY PUNCH JUICE BASED SPORTS DRINK FROM CONCENTRATE, CITRUS BERRY PUNCH
Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — CHILI & LIME SEASONING CASERO, CHILI & LIME
Chili Pepper, Paprika, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Corn, Lime
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Diet Juice Drink
Cranberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Del Monte, Pear Nectar
Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Boar's Head Provision Co., Inc. — Hummus
Sesame, Garlic, Sunflower, Olive, Citric Acid, Cumin
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
Search Any Product
Check any grocery product against the full MRT 176 panel — not just Citric Acid.
Open the Food Checker