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 238 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LEMONADE DRINK MIX PACKETS, LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Yellow #5, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — MTN DEW, LOW SODIUM SODA
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — VANILLA FLAVORED ICED LATTE CHILLED COFFEE DRINK, VANILLA
Coffee, Caffeine, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Coumarin/Vanillin
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
P. K. Kinder Co., Inc. — PRIME RIB RUB, PRIME RIB
Garlic, Onion, Cane Sugar, Rice, Paprika, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
LS Wholesale, LLC — JAMMY TOMATO HUMMUS, JAMMY TOMATO
Sesame, Sunflower, Tomato, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lemon, Garlic
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — BREAKSTONE'S, FAT FREE COTTAGE CHEESE WITH SMALL CURD
Cow's Milk, Cottage Cheese, Whey, Corn, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Polysorbate 80
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 ENGY WLD BRY 6PK 48FO
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Grape, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Tea
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — RASPBERRY ICED TEA, RASPBERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — MANGO PREMIUM ICE CREAM, MANGO
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Mango, Citric Acid, Corn, Whey, Carrageenan
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Tomato Soup, 32 Oz Carton
Cow's Milk, Tomato, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Rice, American Cheese, Garlic, Onion
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — HALF LEMONADE & HALF ICED TEA DRINK MIX, LEMONADE STARTER
Citric Acid, Corn, Tea, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — PULL 'N' PEEL CANDY, STRAWBERRY & VANILLA
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Coumarin/Vanillin
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ITALIAN DRESSING & RECIPE MIX, ITALIAN
Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Corn
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — FRUIT MIX SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, ORANGE, GRAPE, PINEAPPLE, STRAWBERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — FRUIT PUNCH SUGARFREE GUM, FRUIT PUNCH
Glycerin/Glycerol, Aspartame, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Red #40, Watermelon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — WHITE CHEDDAR SEASONING MIX, WHITE CHEDDAR
Cow's Milk, Whey, American Cheese, Corn, Citric Acid, Canola/Rapeseed, Yeast (Baker's)
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — WILD CHERRY FLAVORED JUICE DRINK BLEND FROM CONCENTRATE, WILD CHERRY
Fructose, Corn, Pear, Grape, Citric Acid, Apple, Cherry
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — 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 |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — BAJA FLASH SODA WITH A BLAST OF PINEAPPLE COCONUT, BAJA FLASH
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — RASPBERRY CITRUS AND GINSENG SODA, RASPBERRY CITRUS AND GINSENG
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream — COCONUT & GINGER NON-DAIRY FROZEN DESSERT, COCONUT & GINGER
Corn, Coconut, Cane Sugar, Ginger, Green Pea, Carob, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — SUPER SODA
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — ROSEMARY CHICKEN SEASONING MIX, ROSEMARY CHICKEN
Garlic, Rosemary, Onion, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Corn
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MINUTE MAID PEACH BOTTLE, 20 FL OZ
Corn, Fructose, Peach, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — LEMON SWEET CREAM DELIGHT DOUBLE CREAM YOGURT WITH SAUCE ON THE BOTTOM, LEMON SWEET CREAM DELIGHT
Yogurt, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Corn, Turmeric, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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