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 296 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — HALF & HALF ICED TEA LEMONADE SUGAR SWEETENED DRINK MIX, HALF & HALF ICED TEA LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Rice A Roni Rustic Recipes Long Grain & Wild Rice 4.2 Ounce Paper Box
Rice, Onion, Yeast (Baker's), Garlic, Cane Sugar, Parsley, Soybean, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — CAJUN-STYLE FLAVOR CUBES SEASONING, CAJUN-STYLE
Paprika, Black Pepper, Celery, Chili Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Sunflower, Corn, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Unilever — SKINNY CHAI LATTE BLACK TEA CONCENTRATE, SKINNY CHAI LATTE
Tea, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cane Sugar, Honey, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LEMON ICED TEA DRINK MIX PITCHER PACKETS, LEMON ICED TEA
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Corn, Tea, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — WY SIP BNUT SQSH & SWT POT 11.1 OZ
Squash, Sweet Potato, Corn, Cane Sugar, Carrot, Cabbage, Celery, Onion, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — TANGY PICKLE TORTILLA CHIPS, TANGY PICKLE
Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, MSG, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Dill, Cow's Milk
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — MANGO TANGERINE SMOOTHIE
Cow's Milk, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Mango, Carrageenan, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — ITALIAN FLAVOR CUBES SEASONING, ITALIAN
Basil, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Corn, Garlic, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — BEEF RAVIOLI IN TOMATO & MEAT SAUCE
Wheat, Tomato, Beef, Fructose, Corn, Soybean, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — FRUIT COCKTAIL IN HEAVY SYRUP
Peach, Pear, Corn, Cane Sugar, Grape, Pineapple, Cherry, FD&C Red #3, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — CHILI WITH BEANS
Beef, Pinto Bean, Tomato, Corn, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LOW SODIUM SODA, CHERRY
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dollar Only Wholesale, LLC — STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE FLAVORED WAFERS CUBES, STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Whey, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Red #3
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
COTTAGE DOUBLES LOW FAT PINEAPPLE TOPPING COTTAGE CHEESE
Cottage Cheese, Cow's Milk, Whey, Pineapple, Cane Sugar, Corn, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company — ORGANIC MIXED BERRY SUPER FOOD BITES, MIXED BERRY
Tapioca, Oat, Cane Sugar, Rice, Cranberry, Sunflower, Blueberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — SUPERFRUIT RASPBERRY POMEGRANATE, STRAWBERRY STARFRUIT, PASSIONFRUIT PUNCH, BLUEBERRY ACAI FRUIT CHEWS, SUPERFRUIT
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Tapioca, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Blue #2, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PEPSICO, INC — STRAWBERRY ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN BARS, STRAWBERRY
Oat, Wheat, Sunflower, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Strawberry, Glycerin/Glycerol, Corn, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — ORIGINAL CHERRY, ORANGE, STRAWBERRY & LEMON FRUIT CHEWS, CHERRY, ORANGE, STRAWBERRY & LEMON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Tapioca, Apple, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Company — STRAWBERRY ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN BARS, STRAWBERRY
Oat, Wheat, Sunflower, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Strawberry, Glycerin/Glycerol, Corn, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — Pacific Foods Organic White Bean Verde Chili
Navy Bean, Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Corn, Coriander/Cilantro, Lime, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LEMON ICED TEA, LEMON
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — BERRY ICED TEA WITH A SPLASH OF JUICE, BERRY
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon, Tea, Caffeine, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — ORIGINAL TACO SEASONING MIX, ORIGINAL TACO
Corn, Chili Pepper, Canola/Rapeseed, Soybean, Sunflower, Onion, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Garlic
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream — TROPICALS HAWAIIAN PINEAPPLE, TROPICAL ORANGE AND CARIBBEAN FRUIT PUNCH FLAVORED SUGAR FREE ICE POPS QUIESCENTLY FROZEN CONFECTIONS, TROPICALS
Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1, Orange, Pineapple
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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