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 304 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — NON FAT YOGURT, LIGHT, BLUEBERRY
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Blueberry, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — SWEET HEAT SIZZLIN' STRAWBERRY, FIERY WATERMELON, FLAMIN' ORANGE, LEMON SPARK, BLAZIN' MANGO BITE SIZE CANDIES, SWEET HEAT
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Tapioca, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, Blue #1, Blue #2
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — SWEET HEAT FIERY WATERMELON, FLAMIN' ORANGE, STRAWBERRY MANGO, PIPIN' PINEAPPLE FRUIT CHEWS, SWEET HEAT
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 |
|
Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream — BLUE RASPBERRY CHERRY LEMON ICE POPS, BLUE RASPBERRY CHERRY LEMON
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, Cherry, Lemon
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. — ORANGE ENERGY DRINK, ORANGE
Fructose, Corn, Grape, Orange, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. — STRAWBERRY WATERMELON ENERGY DRINK, STRAWBERRY WATERMELON
Strawberry, Watermelon, Grape, Orange, Citric Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Red #40, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Tropicana Twister Cherry Berry Blast Flavored Juice 20 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Fructose, Corn, Apple, Grape, Pineapple, Cherry, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — ORIGINAL POTATO CRISPS, ORIGINAL
Potato, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Rice, Cane Sugar, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — Campbell's CondensedHealthy Request Family Size Tomato Soup, 23.2 Ounce Can
Tomato, Corn, Fructose, Wheat, Canola/Rapeseed, Soybean, Citric Acid, Celery, Garlic
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Unilever Bestfoods North America — DRESSING, BUFFALO RANCH
Soybean, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Corn, Egg Yolk, Cow's Milk, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
P. K. Kinder Co., Inc. — THE BBQ BLEND RUB, BBQ BLEND
Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Black Pepper, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Paprika, Rice, Sunflower
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 BEVERAGE GREENS
Carrot, Sweet Potato, Spinach, Grape, Apple, Pineapple, Citric Acid, Banana, Watermelon
|
9 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — WILD BLUEBERRY ACAI ORGANIC FRUIT SMOOTHIE FILLED ENERGY BARS, WILD BLUEBERRY ACAI
Almond, Blueberry, Cane Sugar, Cashew, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Green Pea, Oat, Rice, Sunflower
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PB&J BITES PEANUT BUTTER & STRAWBERRY FLAVORED SNACKS
Peanut, Cane Sugar, Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Corn, Strawberry, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid, Vanilla
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — CHICHARRONES FRIED PORK SKINS, SALT & VINEGAR
Pork, Corn, MSG, Cow's Milk, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic, Apple, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — SMOKED SNACKS
Beef, Pork, Chicken, Soybean, Corn, Paprika, Barley, Malt, Citric Acid, Lecithin (Soy)
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CRACKER BARREL, NATURAL WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE WITH MEDITERRANEAN HERB SEASONING
Cow's Milk, Garlic, Onion, Tomato, Cane Sugar, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Citric Acid, Solanine
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. (CytoSport) — STRAWBERRIES 'N CREME GENUINE NON DAIRY PROTEIN SHAKE, STRAWBERRIES 'N CREME
Cow's Milk, Corn, Sunflower, Canola/Rapeseed, Fructose, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, FD&C Red #3
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — HICKORY SMOKE BARBECUE SAUCE, HICKORY SMOKE
Corn, Fructose, Tomato, Cane Sugar, Honey, Mustard, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING, ZESTY ITALIAN
Soybean, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Paprika, Citric Acid, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, Benzoic Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — SPRITE, LEBRON'S MIX LEMON-LIME SODA, NATURAL CHERRY AND ORANGE , LEMON-LIME
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, Lemon, Lime, Cherry, Orange
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — WHITE CREME HEARTS, PEANUT BUTTER
Peanut, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Safflower, Cow's Milk, Corn, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
P. K. Kinder Co., Inc. — MARGARITA RUB, MARGARITA
Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Oregano, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Rice, Lime, Lemon
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SLOPPY JOE SAUCE, SLOPPY JOE
Tomato, Solanine, Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Capsaicin, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Lay's Kettle Cooked Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Flavored Potato chips 8.5 Ounce Plastic Bag
Potato, Sunflower, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Whey, Black Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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