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 271 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
SUGAR FREE YUM YUM DIPPING SAUCE
Soybean, Egg Yolk, Corn, Tomato, Garlic, Onion, Paprika, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Organic Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — 100% VEGETABLE LOW SODIUM JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE, VEGETABLE
Tomato, Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Spinach, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Califia Farms, Lp — Vanilla Almondmilk, Vanilla
Almond, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — Sugar Free
Citric Acid, Caffeine, Aspartame
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Califia Farms, Lp — Holiday Nog Almondmilk
Almond, Cane Sugar, Ginger, Sunflower, Nutmeg, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Honey Graham Crackers, Honey Graham
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Safflower, Honey, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — DILL PICKLE FLAVORED SUNFLOWER SEEDS, DILL PICKLE
Sunflower, Corn, Citric Acid, Dill, Garlic, Onion, MSG, Yeast (Baker's)
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good Humor-breyers Ice Cream — Hawaiian Pineapple, Tropical Orange, Caribbean Fruit Punch Sugar Free Ice Pops, Hawaiian Pineapple, Tropical Orange, Caribbean Fruit Punch
Glycerin/Glycerol, Corn, Citric Acid, Aspartame, Turmeric
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — Organic Bunnies & Bats Bunny Fruit Snacks, Berry Patch
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Carrot, Sunflower
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Sugar Free with Fiber Strawberry Preserves
Strawberry, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pure Premium Strawberry Aloe Drink
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Cabbage, Honey
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — AQUAFINA, SPARKLING BEVERAGE, BLACK CHERRY DRAGONFRUIT, BLACK CHERRY DRAGONFRUIT
Fructose, Corn, Grape, Citric Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Pacific Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
Cow's Milk, Whey, Tomato, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Citric Acid, Rice, Onion
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Annie's Homegrown Organic Pink Lemonade Bunny Fruit Snacks
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Whole Foods Market, Organic Challah Roll
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Egg White, Egg Yolk, Citric Acid, Honey, Yeast (Baker's)
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — SAHALE SNACKS MANGO TANGO ALMOND MIX
Almond, Mango, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Cranberry, Lime, Sunflower, Chili Pepper
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico, Inc. (yachak) — Berry Blue Organic Yerba Mate, Berry Blue
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Blueberry, Caffeine
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — JUMBO MARASCHINO CHERRIES
Cherry, Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Sodium Metabisulfite
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Almondmilk
Almond, Vanilla, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Sunflower
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company — Jasmine & Honey Organic Cold Brew Green Tea, Jasmine & Honey
Tea, Cane Sugar, Honey, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Chunky Tomato Herb Organic Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Onion, Olive, Garlic, Basil, Citric Acid, Oregano, Thyme, Black Pepper
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cadia, Organic Diced Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The J.m. Smucker Company — Sugar Free Concord Grape Jam, Concord Grape
Grape, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8, V-FUSION, FLAVORED FRUIT & VEGETABLE JUICE, TROPICAL ORANGE, TROPICAL ORANGE
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Grape, Apple, Orange, Peach, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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