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 169 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Hard Salami Bites, Hard Salami
Beef, Pork, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cape Cod Potato Chips Inc. — Cape Cod, Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno, Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno
Potato, Canola/Rapeseed, Corn, Onion, Yeast (Baker's), Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — TROPIC FLASH THIRST QUENCHER, TROPIC FLASH
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 V-fusion Beverage Peach Mango
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Grape, Orange, Peach, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Kids Fat Free12x72 1n
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry (6-24z) 96 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottles
Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Yellow Fat Free1x5.000 Lb
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Strawberry Soda Bottle, 16 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Tum-e Yummies Epic Apple Flip Bottle, 10.1 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Trappey's, Kidney Beans, Jalapeno
Kidney Bean, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Cilantro Salsa
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Chili Pepper, Coriander/Cilantro
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Napoleon Co. — Marinated Mushrooms
Mushroom, Soybean, Sunflower, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — Ortega, Original Thick & Smooth Taco Sauce, Medium
Tomato, Corn, Paprika, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Benzoic Acid, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Oroweat Bakers Inc. — Pizza Sauce
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Tradewinds, Slow Brewed Iced Tea, Extra Sweet Tea
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Grapefruit Soda Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Grapefruit, Benzoic Acid, Carob
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Cran-mango, Cranberry Mango Juice Drink From Concentrate
Cane Sugar, Beet, Cranberry, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Smooth Apple-raspberry Sauce with Dices of Apple
Apple, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. — Sports Hydration Mix
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Alo, Enrich, Real Aloe Vera & Juice
Cane Sugar, Cranberry, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Roasted Red Pepper Hommus
Sunflower, Olive, Sesame, Citric Acid, Garlic, Paprika, Corn, Basil
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Gallo Salame, Pepperoni
Pork, Beef, Corn, Paprika, Garlic, Potassium Nitrate, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Boar's Head Provision Co., Inc. — Turkey Breast
Turkey, Honey, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Market Pantry — Diced Peaches Yellow Cling Peaches in Light Syrup
Peach, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Apple with White Cranberry Juice Drink From Concentrate, Apple with White Cranberry
Cane Sugar, Beet, Apple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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