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.
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
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 28 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Quaker Oats Company — CLASSIC HUMMUS
Sesame, Soybean, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC — REFRESHING PEACH PROBIOTIC FRUIT SODA, REFRESHING PEACH
Grape, Peach, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — ROOT BEER SODA, ROOT BEER
Corn, Fructose, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CREME SODA
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — PEAR-CINNAMON FRUIT BURST, PEAR-CINNAMON
Pear, Cane Sugar, Cinnamon, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — SMUCKER'S, TRIPLE BERRY SYRUP
Corn, Fructose, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade G2 02 Perform Thirst Quencher Fruit Punch 6.4 Ounce Instant Powder Mix Plastic Tin
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 SPLASH BEVERAGE ORANGE PINEAPPLE
Fructose, Corn, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SHARKLEBERRY FIN CAFFEINE FREE DRINK MIX, SHARKLEBERRY FIN
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Corn, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — ZERO-CALORIE SODA, CITRUS
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — SMUCKER'S, SWEET ORANGE MARMALADE
Corn, Fructose, Orange, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ALOHA MANGO REFRESHERS JUICE DRINK BLEND FROM CONCENTRATE, ALOHA MANGO
Cane Sugar, Apple, Mango, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — CONCORD GRAPE JELLY
Grape, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher Powder 21 Ounce Plastic Pouch
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade G2 Low Calories Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Bottle.
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — ROOT BEER SODA, ROOT BEER
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — MANDARIN ORANGES IN ORANGE FLAVORED GEL CUPS, MANDARIN ORANGES
Orange, Cane Sugar, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's LLP — IBC, ROOT BEER
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Glacier Cherry Sports Drink (12 - 12 Fluid Ounce) 144 Fluid Ounce 12 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE, CLASSIC TOMATO
Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DIJON MUSTARD, DIJON
Mustard, Grape, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CREAM CHEESE STYLE BLEND, CREAM CHEESE STYLE
Whey, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Carob
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — ORIGINAL HOMMUS, ORIGINAL
Sesame, Sunflower, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PEPSICO, INC — CREAM SODA, CREAM
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CANDY SHOP CHERRY SLICES, CHERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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