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 192 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Clif Bar and Company — Vanilla Energy Gel, Vanilla
Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Tomato 100% Juice From Concentrate, Tomato
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg Fruit Pieces Non-licensed Cherry .8oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Independent Producers for the Pepsi/lipton Tea Partnership — Mate Energizing Iced Tea, Cherry
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg Fruit Pieces Non-licensed Berry Sours 57.6oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Angela Mia Ground Unpeeled Pear Tomatoes, #10 Can, 6/105 Oz., 105 Oz
Tomato, Basil, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Odom's Tennessee Pride Original Sausage Patties, 6 Count, 8 Oz
Pork, Cane Sugar, Rosemary, MSG, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Choice Cut Diced Tomatoes, 28 Oz
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 Beverage Low Sodium Vegetable
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Cascadian Farm Premium Organic Sliced Peaches
Peach, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Gold Peak Peach Tea Bottle, 52 Fl Oz
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Glass Bottle, 8 Fl Oz
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Watermelon Soft Candy Watermelon Fat Free1x1.9 Lb
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Greek Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Apple, Corn, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria Fine Foods Llc — Pepperoncini in Vinegar Marinade
Chili Pepper, FD&C Yellow #5, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Whole Peeled Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CINNAMON SPICE LATTE CAFE-STYLE BEVERAGE MIX, CINNAMON SPICE LATTE
Cane Sugar, Coconut, Corn, Coffee, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — PREGO, TRADITIONAL ITALIAN SAUCE
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Wellsley Farms, Iced Tea & Lemonade
Cane Sugar, Tea, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Trappey's, Black Eye Peas, Jalapeno
Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Pork, Cane Sugar, Black Pepper, Potassium Nitrate, Onion
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — GATORADE LIME 28Z
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — Tangerine Flavored Orange Edition Energy Drink, Tangerine
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — STINGIN' HONEY GARLIC SEASONING BLEND, STINGIN' HONEY GARLIC
Cane Sugar, Garlic, Chili Pepper, Honey, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — APPLE BLAST THIRST QUENCHER CONCENTRATE, APPLE BLAST
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Orville Redenbachers Kettle Korn Popcorn, 8.7 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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