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 166 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Triple Zero Blended Greek Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — KNUDSEN, SMALL CURD LOWFAT COTTAGE CHEESE
Cottage Cheese, Cow's Milk, Whey, Yogurt, Citric Acid, Carrageenan
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Dole, Fruit Crisp with Crunchy Oats and Brown Sugar, Peach
Peach, Oat, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Wheat, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — SODA, MANGO
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Light Cranberry Juice Drink
Cranberry, Apple, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mission Foods Inc — Gluten Free Tortillas
Rice, Potato, Tapioca, Corn, Soybean, Egg Yolk, Egg White, Green Pea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Danone, Dairy Drink, Coconut, Coco
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Coconut, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Coffee House Select Lowfat Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Cocoa, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Dannon, Oikos, Nonfat Yogurt Drink, Mixed Berry
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Citric Acid, Carrageenan
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Cranberry Almond Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar
Almond, Cranberry, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Rice, Soybean, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. — Sports Hydration Mix Drink
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Corn, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Market Pantry — Original Beef Jerky
Beef, Cane Sugar, Wheat, Soybean, Corn, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — Specialty Coffee Beverage
Cane Sugar, Cow's Milk, Whey, Coconut, Corn, Fructose, Coffee, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — Thick & Chunky Mild Salsa, Thick & Chunky Mild
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Capsaicin, Solanine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Red Grapefruit in Sweetened Water
Grapefruit, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ski — Original Lemon Orange Authentic Citrus Soda
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Glacier Cherry Zero Sugar Thirst Quencher Powder, Glacier Cherry
Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Blended Greek Yogurt, Apple Cinnamon
Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Premium Juice Blend, Berry Punch
Fructose, Corn, Grape, Pear, Strawberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Professional — Authentic Mexican Style Hot Chocolate Mix, Authentic Mexican Style
Cane Sugar, Cow's Milk, Whey, Coconut, Soybean, Corn, Fructose, Cocoa, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts BBQ Sauce Hickory Brown Sugar, 18 Oz
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Mustard, Onion, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Prego Sauces Tomato Onion & Garlic
Tomato, Onion, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Red Fat Freevalentines Day1x8 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Honest Tea Unsweet Mint Green Tea-ko Bottle, 16.9 Fl Oz
Tea, Caffeine, Mint/Menthol, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Green Apple Bottle, 2 Liters
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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