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 262 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Melon Peach Italian Soda, Melon Peach
Cane Sugar, Honeydew, Watermelon, Peach, Lemon, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Grain Free Chipotle BBQ Tortilla Chips
Tapioca, Avocado, Coconut, Chili Pepper, Tomato, Citric Acid, Black Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Parsley
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Pacific Foods Original Organic Almond Milk, Plant Based Milk, 32 Oz Carton
Almond, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Tropicana Farmstand Strawberry Banana Fruit & Vegetable Juice 46 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Beet, Apple, Grape, Strawberry, Banana, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI MIX, STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI
Strawberry, Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
NO SHELLS BBQ PISTACHIOS
Pistachio, Cane Sugar, Tomato, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic, Paprika, Yeast (Baker's)
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — 365 Everyday Value, Organic Italian Dressing
Soybean, Grape, Olive, Garlic, Tomato, Black Pepper, Lemon, Basil, Oregano, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Rosemary
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Plant-based Breakfast Patties
Soybean, Barley, Malt, Canola/Rapeseed, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Paprika, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Cheery Cherry Organic Twisted Fruit + Veggie Snack, Cheery Cherry
Apple, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Beet, Lemon, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Annie's Homegrown — Organic Cheerful Cherry Fruit Juice Pops, Cheerful Cherry
Apple, Pear, Cherry, Cane Sugar, Carob, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — Orange Pineapple Flavored Coconut Water Beverage, Orange Pineapple
Coconut, Citric Acid, Rosemary
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GARLAND JACK'S, SECRET SIX ORIGINAL RECIPE BARBECUE SAUCE
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Mustard, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ORANGE FLAVOR DRINK MIX, ORANGE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Corn, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
P. K. Kinder Co., Inc. — THE TACO BLEND WITH LIME AND ANCHO CHILI PREMIUM SEASONING, THE TACO BLEND WITH LIME AND ANCHO CHILI
Chili Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Rice, Sunflower, Lime
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED PINEAPPLE TIDBITS, DARK CHOCOLATE
Pineapple, Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Vanilla, Coconut, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — GREEK NONFAT YOGURT, VANILLA
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Whey, Cane Sugar, Corn, Carob, Citric Acid, Vanilla
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — MTN DEW, SODA
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Soybean
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SODA, GRAPEFRUIT
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Grapefruit, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cadia — Tomato Organic Sauce, Tomato
Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — HALF & HALF ICED TEA LEMONADE DRINK MIX, HALF & HALF ICED TEA LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Corn, FD&C Yellow #5
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cadia — Organic Almonmilk
Almond, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Citric Acid, Vanilla
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Crushed Canned Tomatoes with Basil
Tomato, Citric Acid, Basil
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Wholesome Goodness, LLC — BLACKBERRY OMEGA-3 BAR, BLACKBERRY
Oat, Rice, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Apple, Pear, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — FAVEREDS WATERMELON, CHERRY & STRAWBERRY JELLYBEANS, FAVEREDS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Apple, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Original Organic Hummus, Original
Sesame, Canola/Rapeseed, Lemon, Garlic, Citric Acid, Cumin, Paprika
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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