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 289 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 SPLASH BEVERAGE RASPBERRY
Fructose, Corn, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Raspberry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Snack Pack Sugar Free Gel Strawberry and Orange, 13 Oz
Apple, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Carob, FD&C Red #40
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Reduced Sugar Blueberry Preserves, Blueberry
Blueberry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DRINK MIX, ORANGE MANGO
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Corn
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — FRUIT ROLL-UPS, MINI ROLLS, FRUIT FLAVORED SNACKS, STRAWBERRY SENSATION, STRAWBERRY SENSATION
Corn, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — BLUEBERRY FLAVORED BISCUITS, BLUEBERRY
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Blueberry, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, Fructose
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — MILK CHOCOLATE EGG EASTER CANDY, PEANUT BUTTER
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Peanut, Corn, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SWEET ICED TEA FLAVORED DRINK MIX, SWEET ICED TEA
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, Corn, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 V-FUSION BEVERAGE PEACH MANGO
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Grape, Orange, Peach, Mango, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — ORIGINAL SPAGHETTI SAUCE SPICES & SEASONINGS MIX, ORIGINAL
Cane Sugar, Corn, Paprika, Basil, Oregano, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ORIGINAL BARBECUE SAUCE
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Mustard, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Strawberry Organic Fruit-flavored Snacks, Strawberry
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Apple, Strawberry, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — 100 CALORIES PROTEIN NUTRITION SHAKE, CHOCOLATE
Cow's Milk, Whey, Cocoa, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Whole Fire Roasted Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — PINK LEMONADE DRINK MIX, PINK LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Corn, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Mushrooms
Mushroom, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The Minute Maid Company — TROPICAL CONCENTRATED SMOOTHIE MIX BLEND, TROPICAL
Cane Sugar, Mango, Pineapple, Apple, Pear, Peach, Citric Acid, Turmeric
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
La Victoria Foods Inc. — Organic Medium Chunky Salsa, Medium
Tomato, Solanine, Citric Acid, Onion, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Garlic
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cadia — Organic Morello Cherry Preserves, Morello Cherry
Cherry, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — Organic Strawberry Lemonade From Concentrate
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Strawberry
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Cascadian Farm Premium Organic Spud Puppies Shredded Potatoes
Potato, Soybean, Apple, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks, Pink Lemonade
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Pear, Citric Acid, Sunflower, Carrot
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Fire Roasted Organic Diced Tomatoes, Fire Roasted
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Gluten Free "the Crab Chip" with Chesapeake Bay Crab Seasoning Potato Chips
Potato, Corn, Paprika, Cane Sugar, Onion, Honey, Citric Acid
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Organic Mango Thirst Quencher Powder, Mango
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Mango, Rice
|
8 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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