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 256 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Hershey Company — MILK CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER CUPS MINIATURES, MILK CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Peanut, Corn, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LEMON ICED TEA DRINK MIX, LEMON
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Corn, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company — Honest Tea, Organic Raspberry Tea
Tea, Cane Sugar, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Red Raspberry Sugar Free Preserves, Red Raspberry
Raspberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Flavored Juice Beverage, Pineapple with Coconut Water
Coconut, Corn, Fructose, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Cherry Pomegranate Sugar Free Low Calorie Drink Mix, Cherry Pomegranate
Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Cane Sugar, Cherry, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — 5 Flavors Sugar Free Hard Candy, Cherry, Raspberry, Watermelon, Orange, Pineapple
Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Terrapin Ridge Farms LLC — ROASTED GARLIC AVO AIOLI, ROASTED GARLIC
Avocado, Egg Yolk, Garlic, Safflower, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Mustard, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — BAJA MANGO GEM SODA WITH A BLAST OF MANGO, BAJA MANGO GEM
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, Mango
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cadia — Blueberry Organic Preserves, Blueberry
Blueberry, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Annie's Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks 22 Count
Rice, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted with Roasted Garlic Petite Diced Tomatoes
Tomato, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Clif Bar, Clif Kid, Z Organic Twisted Fruit & Veggie Rope, Mango Mania
Apple, Sweet Potato, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Newman's Own, Inc. — Newman's Own, Organics Pasta Sauce, Tomato & Basil
Tomato, Citric Acid, Olive, Basil, Carrot, Onion, Garlic, Black Pepper
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — Organic Strawberry Banana Layered Fruit Bars
Apple, Banana, Strawberry, Lemon, Carrot, Cabbage, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Peach Tea Sugar Free Low Calorie Drink Mix, Peach Tea
Citric Acid, Tea, Aspartame, Sodium Metabisulfite, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Sugar Free Blueberry Preserves
Blueberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — MEDITERRANEAN ORGANIC HUMMUS WITH TOPPINGS, MEDITERRANEAN
Sesame, Sunflower, Garlic, Lemon, Cumin, Citric Acid, Parsley, Cane Sugar
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — CHERRY LEMONADE, DOUBLE BERRY & ORANGE GREEN APPLE DUOS 2 FLAVORS IN 1 GUMMIES, CHERRY LEMONADE, DOUBLE BERRY & ORANGE GREEN APPLE
Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Fructose, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Sugar Free Syrup
Aspartame, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — Sugar Free Mints, Coolmint
Aspartame, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Blue #1, Corn
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Chunky Tomato Bisque Soup
Tomato, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Black Pepper
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bj's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — Mango Passion Fruit Organic Juice Blend, Mango Passion Fruit
Apple, Mango, Citric Acid, Pear
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Minute Maid Company — MIXED BERRY 10% JUICE BLEND, MIXED BERRY
Fructose, Corn, Apple, Grape, Raspberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — 100% VEGETABLE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE, VEGETABLE
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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