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 307 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream — FRUIT ICE POPS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Beet, Turmeric, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nabisco Biscuit Company — GLUTEN FREE PARMESAN & GARLIC RICE & CHEESE SNACKS, PARMESAN & GARLIC
Rice, Safflower, Whey, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Parsley, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's)
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CREAMY MAYO & TANGY DRESSING
Soybean, Cane Sugar, Egg Yolk, Whey, Cow's Milk, Garlic, Onion, MSG, Citric Acid, Parsley
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Frito-Lay Company — PEPPERED SLOW COOKED AND SMOKED BEEF JERKY, PEPPERED
Beef, Cane Sugar, Wheat, Soybean, Black Pepper, Corn, Citric Acid, Garlic, Onion, Yeast (Baker's)
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PEPSICO, INC — BLACKBERRY BURSTS FRUIT SNACKS, BLACKBERRY BURSTS
Corn, Cane Sugar, Pear, Fructose, Glycerin/Glycerol, Grape, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Carrot, Blueberry
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — RANCH CHICKEN SEASONING MIX, RANCH CHICKEN
Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper, Parsley, Whey, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Corn
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
BUBBALOO GUM
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — SOUTHWEST CHICKEN & VEGETABLES ONE SKILLET SEASONING MIX
Chili Pepper, Cumin, Oregano, Onion, Garlic, Corn, Cane Sugar, Tomato, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GOLD STANDARD RECIPE DRESSING, GOLD STANDARD RECIPE
Soybean, Cane Sugar, Egg Yolk, Whey, Cow's Milk, Garlic, Onion, MSG, Citric Acid, Parsley
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Omaha Steaks International — SUMMER STRAWBERRY LUSCIOUS STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM WITH SLICED STRAWBERRY PIECES PREMIUM ICE CREAM, SUMMER STRAWBERRY
Cow's Milk, Whey, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Corn, Egg Yolk, Citric Acid, Beet, Carob, Carrageenan
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — LOW FAT SNACK, CARAMEL APPLE
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — ORGANIC SAVORY CHEESE RISOTTO
Rice, Whey, Cow's Milk, American Cheese, Garlic, Onion, Yeast (Baker's), Parsley, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands Inc — HUNTS Chunky Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce, 24 OZ
Tomato, Carrot, Onion, Celery, Cane Sugar, Corn, Soybean, Zucchini, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — LOW FAT FILLED TWISTS SNACK, CARAMEL APPLE
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
P. K. Kinder Co., Inc. — ITALIAN CHOPHOUSE MAINS MEATBALLS, ITALIAN CHOPHOUSE
Beef, Pork, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Yeast (Baker's), Cow's Milk, Garlic, Onion, Parsley, Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — ROSEMARY GARLIC PLANT-BASED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS & SPINACH, ROSEMARY GARLIC
Mushroom, Spinach, Soybean, Wheat, Yeast (Baker's), Garlic, Onion, Rosemary, Citric Acid, Potato
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — HOT CREAMY JALAPENO SOUR CREAM DIP, HOT, CREAMY JALAPENO
Cow's Milk, Soybean, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Egg Yolk, Onion, Mustard, Citric Acid, Yeast (Baker's), Garlic
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — SHEPHERD'S PIE RECIPE & SEASONING MIX, SHEPHERD'S PIE
Wheat, Corn, Onion, Paprika, Thyme, Mushroom, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — CINNAMON & SUGAR FLAVORED POTATO CRISPS, CINNAMON & SUGAR
Potato, Corn, Soybean, Sunflower, Rice, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Cinnamon, Citric Acid, Whey
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — PEANUT BUTTER TREES ENROBED IN WHITE CREME, PEANUT BUTTER
Peanut, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Safflower, Cow's Milk, Corn, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — ROASTED GARLIC & BELL PEPPER SALT FREE SEASONING, ROASTED GARLIC & BELL PEPPER
Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper, Parsley, Basil, Rosemary, Chili Pepper, Oregano, Citric Acid, Carrot
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
DARK CHOCOLATE SPARKLING ROS CORDIALS
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Vanilla, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #2, Grape
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Healthcare Nutrition, Inc. — VERY VANILLA MOBILITY DAILY NUTRITIONAL DRINK, VERY VANILLA
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Corn, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Soybean, Lecithin (Soy), Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Vanilla
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Kellogg Company — ASSORTED FRUIT FLAVORED SNACKS, ASSORTED
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, Beef, Pork
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
STRAWBERRY SOUR BELTS
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Wheat, Apple, Citric Acid, Strawberry, Glycerin/Glycerol, Coconut, FD&C Red #40
|
10 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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