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 180 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Sprite Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Us (0044710044602) — Kool-aid Jammers Ready To Drink Soft Drink Tropical Punch
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Ocean Spray Ruby Red Grapefruit 15.2 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Grapefruit, Cane Sugar, Beet, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Bottles, 16.9 Fl Oz, 8 Pack
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Kids Fat Free1x3.6 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Plum Tots Tots Snacks Plum Banana Bean Straw
Banana, Citric Acid, Navy Bean, Strawberry, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria Fine Foods Llc — Victoria, Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Soybean, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Sesame, Canola/Rapeseed, Tomato, Garlic, Citric Acid, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Yellow Cling Diced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice
Peach, Grape, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Clif Kid, Organic Fruit & Veggie Zbar
Oat, Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Apple, Sweet Potato, Spinach, Cocoa, Citric Acid, Vanilla, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton, Luscious Herbal Tea, Berry Hibiscus Flavor with Other Natural Flavor, Berry Hibiscus Flavor with Other Natural Flavor
Corn, Tapioca, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Blueberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Plum Mighty 4 Tots Snacks Sweet Potato Banana
Sweet Potato, Banana, Citric Acid, Yogurt, Cow's Milk, Oat, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — FLAVORED JUICE COCKTAIL, CRANBERRY RASPBERRY
Fructose, Corn, Cranberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — RED WINE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING, RED WINE
Grape, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Soybean, Onion, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sara Lee Foods — Ball Park, Steahouse All Natural Beef Flame Grilled Burger
Beef, Onion, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Corn, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Trappey's, Creole Okra Gumbo
Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Paprika, Corn, Parsley, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Sopressata, Salami
Pork, Garlic, Citric Acid, Grape, Yeast (Baker's)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Limonada - Limeade
Fructose, Corn, Lime, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market — Classic Falafel with Tahini
Onion, Parsley, Coriander/Cilantro, Garlic, Black Pepper, Canola/Rapeseed, Sesame, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Roasted Garlic & Herb Grinder
Garlic, Cane Sugar, Parsley, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's Llp — Mistic, Tropical Fruit Punch
Fructose, Corn, Pear, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Cranberry Raspberry Flavored Sparkling Juice Beverage Blended with Another Juice From Concentrate, Cranberry Raspberry
Grape, Cane Sugar, Beet, Cranberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid, Carrot
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Freestone Diced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice
Peach, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Watermelon Strawberry Antioxidant Hydration with Electrolytes, Watermelon Strawberry
Cane Sugar, Watermelon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Mott's Fruit Flavored Snacks Assorted Fruit 60 Count
Corn, Cane Sugar, Pear, Apple, Sweet Potato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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