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 154 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Fruit & Oats
Pear, Oat, Grape, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Banana Mango Berry with Refreshing Kiwi Bananas, Mango, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and Kiwi, Banana Mango Berry with Refreshing Kiwi
Banana, Mango, Strawberry, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Nestea, Liquid Water Enhancer Iced Tea, Cherry Passionfruit, Cherry Passionfruit
Citric Acid, Tea
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Yoplait USA — STRAWBERRY FLAVORED CULTURED DAIRY BEVERAGE SMOOTHIE, STRAWBERRY
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts No Added Sugar Spaghetti Sauce, 24 Oz
Tomato, Carrot, Soybean, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 Beverage Veg Crbn Grns
Carrot, Sweet Potato, Spinach, Grape, Apple, Coconut, Citric Acid, Watermelon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Green Apple Can, 12 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Nabisco Triscuit Crackers Olive 1x9.000 Oz
Wheat, Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Corn, Onion, Celery, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's), Olive
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Hubert's Pineapple Ginger Lemonade Glass Bottle, 16 Fl Oz
Lemon, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle — Water Beverage
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Market Pantry — Maraschino Cherries with Stems
Cherry, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Ginger Ale, Ginger
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Smucker's — Jelly, Mixed Fruit
Fructose, Corn, Apple, Cherry, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Annie's Organic Bernie's Farm Fruit Snacks 5 Count
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Carrot, Sweet Potato, Sunflower, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Blue Sky Organic Orange Can, 12 Fl Oz
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Taco Seasoning Mix, Mild
Paprika, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Potato, Onion, Whey, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Tazo, Flavored Sweetened Herbal Tea, Iced Passion
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Orange, Cinnamon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Wave, Apple White Cranberry Juice Drink From Concentrate, Mango Pineapple
Cane Sugar, Beet, Apple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Gummy Bears Candy, Agave
Corn, Citric Acid, Radish, Turmeric, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nature's Path Foods Inc. — Organic Yogurt Chewy Granola Bars
Oat, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Tapioca, Rice, Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid, Apple, Raspberry, Strawberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Powerade Zero — Enhancer Drops with Electrolytes
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nabisco Biscuit Company — Brown Rice & Wheat Crackers
Rice, Wheat, Soybean, Mustard, Onion, Cow's Milk, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Nestea, Red Tea, Pomegranate Passionfruit, Pomegranate Passionfruit
Fructose, Corn, Tea, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Fancy Mixed Chinese Vegetables, 102 Oz
Mushroom, Solanine, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi Lipton — Mint Real Brewed Tea, Mint
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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