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 230 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SALAD DRESSING & RECIPE MIX, ZESTY ITALIAN
Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Carrot, Corn, Parsley, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — WATERMELON SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, Watermelon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — PEACH HARVEST ZERO CALORIE PEACH ICED TEA FLAVORED DRINK MIX, PEACH HARVEST
Citric Acid, Malt, Aspartame, Tea, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GREEN TEA WITH GINSENG AND HONEY LIQUID WATER ENHANCER, GREEN TEA WITH GINSENG AND HONEY
Citric Acid, Tea, Honey, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, Benzoic Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — LEMONADE SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — STRAWBERRY & CHERRY HEART SHAPED JELLY BEANS, STRAWBERRY & CHERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Apple, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — BLACK CHERRY ENERGY CHEWS, BLACK CHERRY
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, Sunflower
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — MEDITERRANEAN STYLE HUMMUS, MEDITERRANEAN STYLE
Sesame, Canola/Rapeseed, Garlic, Citric Acid, Olive, Paprika, Parsley
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — LOW FAT YOGURT, STRAWBERRY
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Whey, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Corn, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — NIBS, LICORICE
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — CRAN-TROPICAL FLAVORED JUICE DRINK WITH 3 JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE, CRANBERRY, MANGO, GUAVA, ORANGE
Cane Sugar, Beet, Cranberry, Mango, Orange, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — DIET MOUNTAIN DEW, SUPERNOVA, LOW CALORIE DEW SODA, STRAWBERRY MELON, STRAWBERRY MELON
Orange, Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good & Gather — Original Almondmilk, Original
Almond, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — HOLIDAY MIX CHERRY, APPLE & PEPPERMINT FLAVORED HARD CANDY, HOLIDAY MIX
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1, Mint/Menthol
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — VIENNA CAFE-STYLE BEVERAGE MIX, VIENNA CAFE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Coconut, Cow's Milk, Coffee, Citric Acid, Cocoa
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — ROASTED GARLIC & HERB ITALIAN SAUCE, ROASTED GARLIC & HERB
Tomato, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid, Onion, Basil
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — WHITE OUT SODA, SMOOTH CITRUS
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — ROTISSERIE CHICKEN SEASONING, ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
Onion, Paprika, Garlic, Potato, Citric Acid, Chicken, Canola/Rapeseed
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SODA, CITRUS
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, Benzoic Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — HOT MANGO CHUTNEY
Mango, Cane Sugar, Grape, Chili Pepper, Paprika, Onion, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — SWEET & SOUR SAUCE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Pineapple, Tomato, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Paprika
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — FILLED EGGS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
BJ's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — BASIL & AGED PARMESAN CHEESE PESTO, BASIL & AGED PARMESAN CHEESE
Basil, Sunflower, Cow's Milk, Cashew, Olive, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mama Dude's Creole Cajun Seasonings and Cuisine — WAFERS WITH VANILLA CREAM FILLING, VANILLA
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid, Coumarin/Vanillin, Vanilla
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — MAJOR MELON ZERO SUGAR SODA CHARGED WITH WATERMELON, MAJOR MELON
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Aspartame, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40, Watermelon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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