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 178 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Lipton — Country Crock, Original, 60% Vegetable Oil Spread
Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Whey, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Lemon & Pepper Seasoning Salt
Black Pepper, Citric Acid, Onion, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Celery, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Ultra Thin Hard Salami
Pork, Beef, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — TROPICANA ORANGEADE 59Z
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Caribbean Mix Fruit Bars
Strawberry, Pineapple, Mango, Coconut, Cane Sugar, Carob, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Energize Mixed Fruit in Fruit Juice with Green Tea Extract
Grape, Pineapple, Peach, Pear, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. — MANGO FLAVORED SPARKLING JUICE, MANGO
Apple, Grape, Orange, Mango, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Candy Kids 1x3.2 Oz
Cane Sugar, Fructose, 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 Dannon Company, Inc. — Creamery Dairy Dessert
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Turmeric
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Craisins, Sweetened Dried Cranberries with Real Cherry Juice
Cranberry, Cane Sugar, Cherry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Pepperoni
Pork, Beef, Corn, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Wave, Apple with White Cranberry
Cane Sugar, Beet, Apple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — 365 Everyday Value, Organic Capers
Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SALSA VERDE TRADICIONAL WITH VINE-RIPENED TOMATILLOS, MEDIUM
Onion, Chili Pepper, Corn, Coriander/Cilantro, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Hard Salami
Beef, Pork, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Smooth Pineapple-mango Sauce with Pieces of Pineapple
Pineapple, Mango, Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Betty Crocker Toy Story Fruit Snacks 90 Count
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Fruit Punch Lower Sugar Thirst Quencher Concentrate, Fruit Punch
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — No Sugar Added Mixed Fruit in Water Sweetened with Stevia & Monk Fruit Extracts
Pineapple, Peach, Pear, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Act Ii Light Butter, 2.75 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Stride Sour Patch Kids Gum Watermelon 1x14 Pc
Glycerin/Glycerol, Aspartame, Blue #1, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Candy Kids 1x1.8 Lb
Cane Sugar, Fructose, 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 — Blue Sky Zero Lemon Lime Can, 12 Fl Oz
Citric Acid, Corn
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Cedar's, All Natural Taboule Salad
Tomato, Parsley, Sunflower, Olive, Wheat, Onion, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Boar's Head Provision Co., Inc. — Turkey
Turkey, Garlic, Corn, Paprika, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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