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 246 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — FRUITS SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, FRUITS
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 |
|
MINUTE MAID LEMONADE CARTON, 59 FL OZ
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — SOUR PATCH KIDS, SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, WATERMELON, WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, Watermelon
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — PASTA SAUCE, MUSHROOM
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Mushroom, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — PEACH LEMONADE FLAVORED DRINK, PEACH LEMONADE
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Benzoic Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Barilla G & R F.Lli S.P.A. — TRADITIONAL SAUCE, TRADITIONAL
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Onion, Garlic, Basil, Olive, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — GREEN SOUR APPLE SUGARFREE GUM, GREEN SOUR APPLE
Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — CHERRY MIXED FRUIT
Peach, Pear, Cherry, Cane Sugar, Corn, FD&C Red #3, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
TURKEY HILL LIGHT LEMONADE, HALF GALLON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — ARCTIC GRAPE SUGAR FREE GUM ICE CUBES, ARCTIC GRAPE
Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Corn
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — LEMON PUDDING, LEMON
Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Corn, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — CASHEWS GLAZED MIX
Cashew, Apple, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
KRAFT HEINZ SAUCES & FROZEN — TOMATO & BASIL PASTA SAUCE, TOMATO & BASIL
Tomato, Basil, Garlic, Onion, Soybean, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — BEEF ROAST AU JUS AND SAVORY SAUCE, BEEF ROAST
Beef, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SODA, PINEAPPLE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MTN DEW MAUI BURST DEW WITH A BLAST OF PINEAPPLE FLAVOR 16 FL OZ 6 COUNT BOTTLE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — RASPBERRY LEMONADE FLAVORED BEVERAGE FROZEN CONCENTRATED
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Raspberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PRIMAL KITCHEN — TOMATO BASIL AVOCADO OIL MARINARA SAUCE, TOMATO BASIL
Tomato, Avocado, Basil, Garlic, Onion, Oregano, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — FRUIT PUNCH MADE WITH REAL FRUIT JUICE
Corn, Fructose, Pear, Apple, Pineapple, Cherry, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — SEASONED PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pumpkin, Cane Sugar, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
DAIYA — CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING, CREAMY ITALIAN
Canola/Rapeseed, Cane Sugar, Potato, Garlic, Glycerin/Glycerol, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — TURKEY JERKY, BASIL CITRUS
Turkey, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Basil, Garlic, Celery, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — PASSION FRUIT MANGO ADVENTURES FLAVORED JUICE DRINK BLEND FROM CONCENTRATE, PASSION FRUIT MANGO
Cane Sugar, Pear, Grape, Citric Acid, Orange, Apple, Mango
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — ROASTED GARLIC PASTA SAUCE, ROASTED GARLIC
Tomato, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Olive, Onion, Citric Acid
|
7 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SRIRACHA BLACK BEANS
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Garlic, Corn, Citric Acid
|
7 | 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