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 272 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8, SPLASH, FLAVORED JUICE BEVERAGE, MANGO PEACH, MANGO PEACH
Fructose, Corn, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Peach, Mango, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company — White Peach & Apricot Organic Black Tea, White Peach & Apricot
Tea, Cane Sugar, Peach, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — JELL-O, HANDI-SNACKS, CHOCOLATE PUDDING
Cow's Milk, Whey, Cane Sugar, Corn, Cocoa, Caffeine, Tyramine, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — STRIDE, SPARK WITH VITAMINS CHEWING GUM, KINETIC FRUIT, KINETIC FRUIT
Glycerin/Glycerol, Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — MAGGI, BOUILLON TABLETS, CHICKEN
MSG, Cane Sugar, Corn, Chicken, Turmeric, Onion, Citric Acid, Cow's Milk
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — FAT FREE YOGURT
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Whey, Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — SLIM JIM, BEEF JERKY, DARE FREAKIN' HOT JALAPENO, DARE FREAKIN' HOT JALAPENO
Beef, Wheat, Soybean, Cane Sugar, Corn, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — SLIM JIM, DELI STYLE SMOKED MEAT SNACK STICK, PEPPERONI SEASONING, PEPPERONI SEASONING
Beef, Pork, Chicken, Soybean, Corn, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — MOUNTAIN DEW, SODA, DARK BERRY, MIXED BERRY, MIXED BERRY
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc. — Gluten Free Tropical
Oat, Mango, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Coconut, Sorghum, Pumpkin, Almond, Sunflower, Strawberry, Quinoa
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Stone Ground Wheat Crackers, Stone Ground Wheat
Wheat, Sunflower, Safflower, Malt, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's)
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dairy-free Oat Creamer
Oat, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Green Pea, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company — Honest Fizz, Organic Professor Fizz Soda, Spiced Cherry, Spiced Cherry
Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Pacific Foods Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk, Plant Based Milk, 32 Oz Carton
Coconut, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — VOLTAGE SODA CHARGED WITH RASPBERRY CITRUS AND GINSENG, VOLTAGE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Soybean, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — MILKY CHOCLATE PEANUT BUTTER BUNNY, MILK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Peanut, Corn, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Matcha Green Tea
Tea, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Organic Blood Orange Sparkling Beverage
Orange, Cane Sugar, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Califia Farms, Lp — Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk, Unsweetened Vanilla
Almond, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
Tomato, Citric Acid, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Olive, Onion
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-cola Company — Cranberry Lemon Flavored Organic Just a Tad Sweet Herbal Tea, Cranberry Lemon
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pizza Sauce with Organic Tomato, Basil & Parsley, Pizza
Tomato, Citric Acid, Soybean, Garlic, Onion
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
La Victoria Foods Inc. — Organic Salsa
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Corn, Coriander/Cilantro, Garlic
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — Sugar Free
Citric Acid, Caffeine, Aspartame
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — Cranberry Almond Organic Trail Mix Bars, Cranberry Almond
Almond, Tapioca, Cranberry, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Rice, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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