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 254 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Coca-cola Company — Honest Tea, Organic Unsweet Lemon Tea
Tea, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Spicy Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Onion, Olive, Garlic, Basil, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Black Pepper
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — MILK CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE, MILK CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Cow's Milk, Peanut, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Corn, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Organic Original Hommus, Original
Sesame, Sunflower, Olive, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Organic 100% White Grape Juice From Concentrate with Added Ingredients, White Grape
Grape, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Sour Cream & Onion Organic Potato Chips, Sour Cream & Onion
Potato, Tapioca, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Onion, Sunflower
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — INTENSE VANILLA NON DAIRY PROTEIN SHAKE, INTENSE VANILLA
Cow's Milk, Whey, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Coumarin/Vanillin
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — STRAWBERRY WITH LIME SPLASH SUGAR FREE CENTER FILLED GUM, STRAWBERRY WITH LIME
Glycerin/Glycerol, Aspartame, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Stewed Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Celery
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Cascadian Farm Organic Cranberry Juice Frozen Concentrate
Cane Sugar, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — 365 Everyday Value, Organic Mixed Berry Conserve
Blueberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Newman's Own, Organics Marinara Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Olive, Carrot, Basil, Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes in Organic Tomato Juice
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Sugar Free Drink Mix, Raspberry
Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Sugar Free Seedless Jam, Blackberry
Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Cascadian Farm Premium Organic Spud Puppies Shredded Potatoes
Potato, Soybean, Apple, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper
Sesame, Canola/Rapeseed, Garlic, Citric Acid, Onion
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pasta Sauce Organic Basil
Tomato, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Olive, Onion, Garlic
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Annie's Organic Tropical Treat Bunny Fruit Snacks
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Yoplait Light Very Vanilla Gluten-free Fat-free Yogurt Cup
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Corn, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Smucker's, Sugar Free Jam, Seedless Strawberry
Strawberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Wholesome Valley Foods — Ranch Organic Crunchy. Plantain Nuggets, Ranch
Coconut, Tapioca, Onion, Yeast (Baker's), Garlic, Tomato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — PERUVIAN SEASONING, PERUVIAN
Paprika, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Lime, Turmeric
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — ORIGINAL FRUITY CHEWS SUGARFREE GUM, ORIGINAL
Glycerin/Glycerol, Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — MILK CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER MINIATURE CUPS, MILK CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Peanut, Corn, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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