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 252 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 Spicy Hot 100% Vegetable Juice, 12 FL OZ Bottle
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Wellsley Farms, Organic Juice, Orange Peach Mango
Apple, Orange, Pineapple, Grape, Peach, Mango, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good & Gather — Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk, Unsweetened Vanilla
Almond, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Diced Peaches & Pears
Peach, Pear, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — 100% VEGETABLE & FRUIT JUICE, STRAWBERRY BANANA
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Beet, Apple, Grape, Strawberry, Banana, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — ASSORTED FRUIT DRINKS, ASSORTED FRUIT
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — CAJUN SEAFOOD FRY MIX
Corn, Wheat, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Paprika, Citric Acid, MSG
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 BEVERAGE VEGETABLE-LOW SODIUM
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
GENERAL MILLS SALES INC. — Yoplait Whips! Raspberry Low Fat Yogurt Mousse
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Yogurt
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — PEACH CONCENTRATED SMOOTHIE MIX BLEND, PEACH
Peach, Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Organic Lemon Hommus, Organic Lemon
Sunflower, Olive, Sesame, Lemon, Garlic, Citric Acid, Cumin
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Organic Soft White Bread
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Yeast (Baker's), Potato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Organic Blood Orange Energy Seltzer
Citric Acid, Caffeine, Coffee
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Annie's Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks 10 Count
Rice, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes with Garlic & Onion
Tomato, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Sugar Free Drink Mix, Grape
Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Strawberry Ice Cream, Strawberry
Cow's Milk, Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SMOOTH CITRUS FLAVOR DEW SODA, CITRUS
Corn, Fructose, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1, Yellow #5
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Pink Grapefruit Organic Italian Soda, Pink Grapefruit
Grapefruit, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Gluten Free Vanilla Chip Flavored Brownie Bark
Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Coumarin/Vanillin, Potato, Egg White, Cocoa, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Gluten Free Salt'n Vinegar Potato Chips
Potato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The Coca-cola Company — Mango White Organic Tea, Mango White
Tea, Cane Sugar, Mango, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — FRUIT CHEWS, ORIGINAL
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Tapioca, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Cinnamon Graham Crackers
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Safflower, Citric Acid, Honey, Cinnamon
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks, Berry Patch
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Carrot, Sunflower
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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