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 46 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — SMOOTH FINISH THIRST QUENCHER
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
RED FINNY FISH CANDY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — CRANBERRY AND APPLE JUICE DRINK FROM CONCENTRATE, CRAN-HARVEST
Cane Sugar, Apple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — STRAWBERRY ENERGY GEL WITH CAFFEINE, STRAWBERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GELATIN DESSERT MIX, PINEAPPLE ORANGE
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
TURKEY HILL SWEET TEA, ONE GALLON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Tea, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — GELATIN DESSERT, LEMON
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola Nestle Refreshments — SWEET TEA
Corn, Fructose, Tea, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LIME MONSTER SLIME GELATIN MIX, LIME
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc. — LEMON FRUIT ICE BARS, LEMON
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Turmeric
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — SUGAR FREE LOW CALORIE JUICY GELS, STRAWBERRY, CHERRY
Aspartame, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — LEMONADE TEA, LEMON
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lemon
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — MANGO FLAVORED ENERGY GEL, MANGO
Corn, Rice, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GRAPEFRUIT SPARKLING WATER ENHANCER DRINK MIX, GRAPEFRUIT
Citric Acid, Grapefruit, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Izze Sparkling Blackberry Juice Beverage 8.4 Fluid Ounce Aluminum Can
Apple, Grape, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — COOL BLUE ZERO SUGAR PROTEIN THIRST QUENCHER, COOL BLUE
Whey, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MyTerra Inc. , DBA Jinka — ORIGINAL PLANT-BASED TUNA, ORIGINAL
Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Carrageenan, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — STRAWBERRY JALAPENO FRUIT SPREAD, STRAWBERRY JALAPENO
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 SPLASH BEVERAGE BERRY
Fructose, Corn, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — SAVORY FIG CONDIMENT WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA, SAVORY FIG
Cane Sugar, Grape, Tyramine, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — RASPBERRY LEMONADE DRINK MIX PITCHER PACKETS, RASPBERRY LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ATHENOS, CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE, MEDITERRANEAN HERB, MEDITERRANEAN HERB
Cow's Milk, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Califia Farms, LP — COCONUT CREAM & ALMONDMILK
Almond, Coconut, Sunflower, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — GRAPE JELLY, GRAPE
Grape, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DELI DELUXE AMERICAN PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEESE, AMERICAN
American Cheese, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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