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 213 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Olive, Onion, Garlic
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Hi-c, Fruit Juice, Poppin' Lemonade
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Fresh Mozzarella Medallions
Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Del Monte Fresh Produce N.a., Inc. — Spicy Pomodoro Kohlrabi Linguine with Tomato Chipotle Sauce, Spicy
Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Paprika, Carrot, Citric Acid, Olive, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg's Other Licensed Fruit Pieces Hot Wheels .8oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fanta Strawberry Soda Can, 16 Fl Oz
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Philadelphia Cream Cheese-soft Plain Light 140 Gr
Cow's Milk, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dairylea Processed Cheese-spread Cheesy Cheddar 145 Gr
Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Fresca Black Cherry Can, 12 Fl Oz
Citric Acid, Grapefruit, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Carob
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cape Cod Potato Chips Inc. — Cape Cod, Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, Sea Salt & Vinegar
Potato, Canola/Rapeseed, Safflower, Sunflower, Corn, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Apple
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Fruit & Veggie Purees & Juices
Pear, Pumpkin, Peach, Carrot, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Croutons
Wheat, Safflower, Sunflower, Rye, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Cow's Milk, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Dole, Tropical Gold Pineapple Chunks with Coconut Gel
Pineapple, Coconut, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — STRAWBERRY, ORANGE, LEMON LIME SUGAR FREE LOW CALORIE GELATIN SNACKS, STRAWBERRY, ORANGE, LEMON LIME
Aspartame, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster High — Candy
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Diced Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Kellogg Company Us — Kellogg's Fruit Pieces Non-licensed Mixed Berry .8oz
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — VANILLA CAFFEINATED & CULTURED DAIRY DRINK, VANILLA
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Vanilla
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Of Ny — RASPBERRY GINGER ALE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Hansen's, Diet Premium Soda, Black Cherry
Citric Acid, Cherry
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Monster Energy Company — Peace Tea, Razzleberry Tea
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Stewed Italian Recipe Tomatoes
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Onion, Celery, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Garlic, Basil, Oregano
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sodterra Beverage Co., Llc — White Tea & Ginger Carbonated Tea
Tea, Ginger, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. — Fanta, Beverage Mix, Orange
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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