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 208 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GRAPE FLAVORED SPARKLING DRINK, GRAPE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Orville Redenbachers Movie Theatre Butter Popcorn, 8.7 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Smucker 11.75 Ounce Sugar Free Caramel Topping
Corn, Glycerin/Glycerol, Cow's Milk, Soybean, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Halls Soothers Candy Honey Lemon 45.000 Gr
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Honey, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, Lemon, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Grapefruit Soda Can, 12 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Grapefruit, Benzoic Acid, Carob
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Craisins, Strawberry Dried Cranberry
Cranberry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Cran-cherry, Juice Drink, Cranberry Cherry
Cranberry, Cherry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Oleificio Cinquina Srl — Green Calabrese Olives
Olive, Garlic, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Tropical Fruit Salad
Pineapple, Papaya, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — VANILLA CARAMEL LATTE CAFE-STYLE BEVERAGE MIX, VANILLA CARAMEL LATTE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Coconut, Coffee, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Market Pantry — Fruit-flavored Snacks, 6% Apple Juice Concentrate
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Pork, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — Total Zero
Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Yellow Cling Peaches Chunks in Extra Light Syrup
Peach, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
P. K. Kinder Co., Inc. — Prime Rib Rub
Garlic, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
Tomato, Basil, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — Gourmet Popping Corn, Butter
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Tropical Punch Energy Chews, Tropical Punch
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Malt, Citric Acid, Carrot, Tea, Caffeine, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Traditional Spaghetti Sauce, 24 Oz
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Soybean, Carrot, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — La Choy Chop Suey Vegetables, 14 Oz
Celery, Onion, Carrot, Cane Sugar, MSG, Garlic, Citric Acid, Solanine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Mott's Berry Flavored Fruit Snacks 10 Count
Corn, Cane Sugar, Pear, Apple, Sweet Potato, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Bulk Fat Free1x5.000 Lb
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fuze Peach Tea Bottle, 16.9 Fl Oz
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Grapefruit Soda Bottle, 2 Liters
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Grapefruit, Benzoic Acid, Carob
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Plum Mighty 4 Tots Snacks Blueberry Sweet Potato Millet
Banana, Citric Acid, Blueberry, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Yogurt, Cow's Milk, Millet, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Crushed Roma Style Tomatoes in Tomato Puree
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
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