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 185 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Bottle, 20 Fl Oz
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Natural Confectionery Co. Candy Dino Mix 200.000 Gr
Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Paprika, Turmeric, Orange, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GRAPE DRINK MIX WITH CAFFEINE, GRAPE
Citric Acid, Corn, Aspartame, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Petite Diced Tomatoes with Hatch Green Chilies
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Sno-berry Tea
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Chia
Pear, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — Tradewinds, Jimmy Buffett's Island Tea, Black Iced Tea, Peach Mango
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Petite Cut Diced Roma Style Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mild Creole Butter Injectable Marinade, Mild Creole Butter
Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Garlic, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Minute Maid, Light Peach Fruit Drink with Tea
Peach, Tea, Citric Acid, Corn, Fructose, Aspartame
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Original Hummus, Original
Canola/Rapeseed, Sesame, Garlic, Citric Acid, Cumin, Paprika, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mission Foods Inc — Salsa Verde Tortilla Chips, Salsa Verde
Corn, Chili Pepper, Tomato, Onion, Garlic, MSG, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico — Gatorade Fierce Thirst Quencher Fruit Punch+berry 20 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Minute Maid Spicy Watermelon Lemonade Bottle, 52 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Watermelon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Barq's Root Beer Can, 12 Fl Oz
Aspartame, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
R. C. Bigelow, Inc. — Caffeine Free Lemon Ginger Herbal Tea Bags, Lemon Ginger
Lemon, Cinnamon, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Ginger, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — PregoLower SodiumTraditional Italian Sauce, 45 oz., 3 pack
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Red 1x3.6 Oz
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — WHOLE PEPPERONCINI, PEPPERS
Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Clif, Mojo, Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar, Cranberry Almond
Almond, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Cranberry, Rice, Soybean, Sunflower, Tapioca
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market — Lemonade Rings
Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Corn, Citric Acid, Cabbage, Turmeric
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Non Fat Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Corn
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Amp, Flavored Energy Drink, Strawberry Limeade
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Q — Indian Tonic Water
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Good Humor-breyers Ice Cream — Vanilla and Orange Frozen Dairy Dessert, Vanilla and Orange
Cow's Milk, Corn, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Coconut, Orange, Whey, Carob, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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