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 219 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Cherry Soft Candy Cherry Fat Free24x2.000 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company-0049000000016 — Sprite Bottle, 2 Liters
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Berry Fat Free12x4 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Del Monte, Chunky Pasta Sauce, Italian Herb
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Soybean, Onion, Carrot, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Spice Classics, Seasoning Salt, Lemon & Pepper
Citric Acid, Black Pepper, Onion, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Corn, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Oat, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Corn
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Fruit + Veggie Squeezers
Pear, Pumpkin, Carrot, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Grill Mates, Worcestershire Peppercorn Burger Mix-in Seasoning
Black Pepper, Mustard, Cane Sugar, Corn, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, California Style Lemon Pepper with Garlic & Onion
Black Pepper, Lemon, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Corn
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Via Instant — Instant Beverage with Green Coffee Extract
Cane Sugar, Grape, Citric Acid, Coffee
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — FROSTING, WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — BLUE RASPBERRY JUICY GELS, BLUE RASPBERRY
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's LLP — STRAWBERRY FLAVORED APPLESAUCE, STRAWBERRY
Apple, Corn, Fructose, Strawberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — MINT FLAVORED APPLE JELLY, MINT
Apple, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Cane Soda, Original Cola
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — ASSORTED FLAVORS HARD CANDY LOLLIPOPS, ASSORTED
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
KRAFT HEINZ BEVERAGES & SNACK NUTS — SPARKLING DRINK, TROPICAL PUNCH
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — 100% STRAWBERRY BANANA JUICE BLEND, STRAWBERRY BANANA
Apple, Grape, Strawberry, Banana, Pear, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — MACARONI & CHEESE DINNER, MACARONI & CHEESE
Wheat, Whey, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Paprika, Turmeric
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CHERRY LEMONADE FLAVORED DRINK, CHERRY LEMONADE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Skillet Sauce Chili
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Black Pepper, Garlic, Corn, Cane Sugar, Onion, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton — Decaffeinated Sweetened Iced Tea Mix
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Carrot
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Cran-cherry, Cranberry Cherry Juice Drink with Another Juice, Cranberry Cherry
Cane Sugar, Beet, Cranberry, Cherry, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Hubert's Lemonade, Lemonade, Strawberry
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Strawberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — Ocean Spray, Craisins Dried Cranberries, Strawberry
Cranberry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
Search Any Product
Check any grocery product against the full MRT 176 panel — not just Citric Acid.
Open the Food Checker