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 258 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Wholesome Sweeteners, Inc. — Organic Delishfish Candy, Delishfish
Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Apple, Corn, Raspberry, Citric Acid, Carrot, Sunflower
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Organic From the Stevia Leaf with Vanilla Flavor Sweetener
Glycerin/Glycerol, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
HI-C FLASHIN FRUIT PUNCH CARTONS, 6 FL OZ, 8 PACK
Corn, Fructose, Orange, Apple, Pineapple, Grape, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — Sugar Free Energy Drink
Citric Acid, Caffeine, Aspartame
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sweet & Creamy Dairy-free Almond Creamer
Almond, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Green Pea, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted with Adobo Seasoning Petite Diced Tomatoes
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Paprika, Cumin, Citric Acid, Oregano, Black Pepper, Garlic
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Annie's Homegrown — Organic Grapes Galore Fruit Juice Pops, Grapes Galore
Apple, Grape, Cane Sugar, Carob, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc. (cytosport) — Ideal Vanilla Plant-based Protein Powder
Green Pea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Dickinson's, Sugar Free Strawberry Preserves
Strawberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — SEA SALT & VINEGAR FLAVORED KETTLE COOKED POTATO CHIPS, SEA SALT & VINEGAR
Potato, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — LOW FAT SNACK, STRAWBERRY
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ORIGINAL MASHED POTATOES, ORIGINAL
Potato, Whey, Cow's Milk, Canola/Rapeseed, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CHICKEN TACO SEASONING MIX, CHICKEN
Corn, Paprika, Cane Sugar, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Canola
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — CHILE PEPPER CARNE ASADA STREET TACO SEASONING MIX, CHILE PEPPER CARNE ASADA
Chili Pepper, Cumin, Oregano, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Lime
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — HINT OF LIME FOOTBALL SHAPED TORTILLA CHIPS, HINT OF LIME
Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Cane Sugar, Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid, Lime
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — CHERRY LEMONADE, DOUBLE BERRY & ORANGE GREEN APPLE DUOS 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 |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — SEASONING BLEND, ORIGINAL
Chili Pepper, Paprika, Oregano, Corn, Onion, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CRYSTAL LIGHT, ICED TEA DRINK MIX, PEACH, PEACH
Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, Corn, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks, Sunny Citrus
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Turmeric
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — Pink Lemonade Sugar Free Gum Sticks, Pink Lemonade
Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Lemonade Beverage From Concentrate
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Blueberry, Citric Acid, Raspberry, Strawberry, Lime
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Annie's Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Raspberry Sugar Free Low Calorie Drink Mix, Raspberry
Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ASSORTED FLAVORS FREEZE POPS, TROPICAL PUNCH, BLUE RASPBERRY, ORANGE, KIWI STRAWBERRY, CHERRY, GRAPE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, Benzoic Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Vegan White Cheddar Flavored Organic Chickpea Puffs
Rice, Tapioca, Green Pea, Canola/Rapeseed, Safflower, Sunflower, Cane Sugar, Onion, Garlic, Rosemary, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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