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 237 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — BLACK BEAN SALAD, BLACK BEAN
Corn, Onion, Celery, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Coriander/Cilantro, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — LIGHT LEMONADE, LIGHT
Lemon, Citric Acid, Aspartame, Corn, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SODA, SUPERNOVA
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 ENGY SPKLG BLK CHRY 11.5FO
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Cherry, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — CREATE 'N' BAKE COOKIE MIX, STRAWBERRY SUNDAE
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — SOUR PATCH, FRUITS SOFT & CHEWY CANDY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CHERRY FLAVOR DIET SODA, CHERRY
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Aspartame, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — PINK LEMONADE BLUE RASPBERRY, PINEAPPLE REDBERRY, PEACH ORANGE HEADS 2 FLAVORS IN 1 SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, PINK LEMONADE BLUE RASPBERRY, PINEAPPLE REDBERRY, PEACH ORANGE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — EVERYTHING HOMMUS WITH TOPPINGS, EVERYTHING
Sunflower, Olive, Sesame, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Lemon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — PITCH BLACK SODA WITH A BLAST OF DARK CITRUS PUNCH, PITCH BLACK
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — MCCORMICK, GRILL MATES, BROWN SUGAR BOURBON SEASONING
Cane Sugar, Black Pepper, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
GOOD & GATHER — PEPPERONI & PROVOLONE CHEESE SLICES, PEPPERONI & PROVOLONE
Cow's Milk, Pork, Beef, Corn, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — GREEK NONFAT YOGURT, STRAWBERRY BANANA
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Banana, Corn, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MINUTE MAID LEMONADE CAN, 12 FL OZ
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — ORANGE, GRAPE, PINEAPPLE, STRAWBERRY MINI FRUIT MIX FLAVORED SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, ORANGE, GRAPE, PINEAPPLE, STRAWBERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — TROPICAL MINI SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, PINA COLADA, TROPICAL ISLAND, BEACHY PUNCH, PASSION FRUIT
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
RASPBERRY SOUR CANDY STICKS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Wheat, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40, Raspberry
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — PEACH-NECTARINE ENERGY DRINK, PEACH-NECTARINE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Boar's Head Provision Co., Inc. — BOURBON VANILLA HAM GLAZE, BOURBON VANILLA
Cane Sugar, Corn, Barley, Rye, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — FLAVORED JUICE COCKTAIL, APPLE STRAWBERRY BANANA
Apple, Banana, Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Red #40, Fructose, Strawberry
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — GREEN TEA, CITRUS
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — FRUIT MIX MINI SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, FRUIT MIX
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — MULLER CORNER GREEK BLUEBERRY 5.3Z
Yogurt, Cow's Milk, Whey, Cane Sugar, Corn, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — MARINARA PASTA SAUCE, MARINARA
Tomato, Corn, Fructose, Soybean, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — PILLSBURY, FLAKY LAYERS BISCUIT DOUGH
Wheat, Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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