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 241 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — JELLY BIRD EGGS CANDY, JELLY BIRD EGGS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — GARLIC BUFFALO WINGS SAUCE, GARLIC BUFFALO
Chili Pepper, Canola/Rapeseed, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Corn, Paprika, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8, GOLDEN GOODNESS, A VEGETABLE AND FRUIT JUICE BEVERAGE WITH 75% BLEND OF 4 VEGETABLE AND FRUIT JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE WITH OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Grape, Apple, Orange, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Victoria's Kitchen Llc — Victoria's Kitchen, Organic Lemonade, Ginger
Lemon, Citric Acid, Fructose, Ginger, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — ORIGINAL SWIRLERS CHEWY STICKS, CHERRY-LEMON, STRAWBERRY-ORANGE, CHERRY-STRAWBERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mission Foods Inc — ORIGINAL GRAIN FREE TAPIOCA FLOUR TORTILLA WRAPS, ORIGINAL
Tapioca, Potato, Sunflower, Green Pea, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's), Cane Sugar
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc. — BERRY FROZEN FRUIT BLEND, BERRY
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Raspberry, Blueberry, Lemon, Carob, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8, V-FUSION, 100% VEGETABLE & FRUIT JUICE, POMEGRANATE BLUEBERRY, POMEGRANATE BLUEBERRY
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Blueberry, Grape, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — ORIGINAL SEASONING MIX
Chili Pepper, Paprika, Oregano, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
GENERAL MILLS SALES INC. — Old El Paso Mild Taco Sauce
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Garlic, Onion, Chili Pepper
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — FRUIT PUNCH
Fructose, Corn, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Citric Acid, Grape
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — MAXWELL HOUSE, INTERNATIONAL CAFE-STYLE BEVERAGE MIX, VANILLA NUT, VANILLA NUT
Cane Sugar, Coconut, Corn, Cow's Milk, Coffee, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — SLIM JIM, DARE, BEEF JERKY, FREAKIN' HOT HABANERO, FREAKIN' HOT HABANERO
Beef, Cane Sugar, Corn, Yeast (Baker's), Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SODA, MANGO CITRUS
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Califia Farms, Lp — Coconut Almondmilk Blend
Almond, Cane Sugar, Coconut, Cocoa, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LIPTON, GREEN TEA, CITRUS, CITRUS
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — WATERMELON SLAM SOUR JAMMERS DRINK, WATERMELON SLAM
Watermelon, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DRINK MIX, PEACH MANGO
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Corn, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — BROCCOLI, CARROTS & ITALIAN SEASONING
Broccoli, Carrot, Cane Sugar, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — ORIGINAL CHERRY, ORANGE, STRAWBERRY & LEMON GUMMIES, ORIGINAL
Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — LIGHT CHERRY LIMEADE FLAVORED 2% JUICE BLEND OF LIME, CHERRY, PEAR AND APPLE JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE
Apple, Aspartame, Cherry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Lime, Pear
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — CITRUS FLAVORED SODA, CITRUS
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, Benzoic Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — FANTA, ZERO, SODA, ORANGE, ORANGE
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Corn, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GARLIC & HERB DRESSING & RECIPE MIX, GARLIC & HERB
Cane Sugar, Corn, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Capsaicin, Solanine
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — BITES STARBERRY, STRAWBERRY
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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