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 158 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Conagra Brands — Hunt's Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes, 28 Oz, 28 Oz
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Del Monte — Red Grapefruit in 100% Juice, Red Grapefruit
Grapefruit, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Banquet Brown N Serve Original Sausage Links, 11 Oz
Pork, Turkey, Soybean, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Strawberry Soda Bottles, 16.9 Fl Oz, 6 Pack
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cote D'or Chocolate Pieces Dark Orange
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Orange, Soybean, Lecithin (Soy), Corn, Citric Acid, Cow's Milk, Whey
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Diced Tomatoes with Green Peppers & Onions
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Onion, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Wellsley Farms, Sparkling Water Beverage, Cranberry Raspberry
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Natural Flavor (Unknown)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Syrup
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Starbucks Via — Refreshers Instant Beverage
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Corn, Citric Acid, Grape, Coffee, Caffeine, Turmeric
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton — 79% Vegetable Oil Spread
Soybean, Sunflower, Whey, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Mild Thick & Chunky Salsa, Mild Thick & Chunky
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid, Capsaicin, Solanine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc — Cola
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — FRUIT FLAVORED SNACKS, MIXED BERRY
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Ginger Lime Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Newman's Own, Sockarooni Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Mushroom, Cane Sugar, Onion, Olive, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Hansen's, Natural Cane Soda with Real Cane Sugar, Original Cola
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Starbucks, Refreshers, Via Instant Beverage
Cane Sugar, Grape, Corn, Coffee, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice
Peach, Grape, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole — Almond Rice Sticks
Almond, Rice, Malt, Cane Sugar, Sesame, Mango, Grape, Strawberry, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nabisco Food Company — Vitality Blend
Almond, Blueberry, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Peach, Citric Acid, Pistachio, Peanut
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — Toy Story Assorted Fruit Flavored Snacks, Assorted
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Honey Sriracha Flavored Marinade Mix, Honey Sriracha
Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Paprika, Citric Acid, Garlic, Soybean, Corn, Honey
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kinderfarms Llc — Orange Natural Oral Electrolyte Solution, Orange
Citric Acid, Corn
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Original Sodium Free Meat Tenderizing Marinade, Original
Corn, Cane Sugar, Black Pepper, Chili Pepper, Oregano, Paprika, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Onion, Citric Acid, Pineapple
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg's Fruit Pieces Non-licensed Froot Loops Letters .8oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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