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 165 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Conagra Brands — Ac2 Hot and Sweet Popcorn, 8.25 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Paprika, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Prego Sauces Grdn Mush&grn Pepper
Tomato, Mushroom, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid, Garlic, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Pure Leaf Tea & Lemonade 18.5 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Tea, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Kids Fat Free12x10.2 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Sprite Glass Bottle, 12 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Trebor Soft Fruits Soft Candy Fruit
Cane Sugar, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citric Acid, Corn, Orange, Lemon, Paprika
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Yoplait Smooth Style Strawberry/vanilla Low Fat Yogurt Variety Pack 16 Count
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Tapioca, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Giant, Hard Salami
Pork, Beef, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — DIET MOUNTAIN DEW, ULTRA VIOLET, ZERO CALORIE SODA, MIXED BERRY, MIXED BERRY
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — CRESCENT ROLLS
Wheat, Soybean, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — PULP N' PEEL CANDY, FRUIT PUNCH
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — WATERMELON SLAM SOUR BURSTS SOFT DRINK, WATERMELON SLAM
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars Chocolate North America Llc — The Original Smooth Soda
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, Carob
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — 1.87OZ LAY'S LIMON
Potato, Sunflower, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Tropicana Twister Orange Strawberry Banana Burst Juice Drink (6 - 10 Fluid Ounce) 60 Fluid Ounce 6 Pack Plastic Bottles
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — CARROT LEMON GINGER PLANT-BASED PROTEIN & GREENS PROTEIN AND VEGETABLE DRINK, CARROT LEMON GINGER
Green Pea, Carrot, Lemon, Ginger, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — Light No Aspartame Strawberry Orange Smoothie
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Strawberry, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CHERRY COLA SODA, CHERRY COLA
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — STRAWBERRY SUGAR WAFERS, STRAWBERRY
Cane Sugar, Wheat, Soybean, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — PINK LEMONADE JUICE DRINK, PINK LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Corn, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CLASSICO — TOMATO & BUTTERNUT SQUASH NO SUGAR ADDED PASTA SAUCE
Tomato, Squash, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Olive
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea 12 Fluid Ounce Aluminum Can
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
YOPLAIT — PEACH PROTEIN YOGURT-CULTURED ULTRA-FILTERED MILK
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Peach, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — GREEK NONFAT YOGURT, BLUEBERRY
Yogurt, Cow's Milk, Blueberry, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — 100% JUICE, BERRY
Apple, Pear, Grape, Raspberry, Strawberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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