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 51 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — RED BIG SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, RED
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-Cola Company-0049000000016 — Diet Coke Can, 16 fl oz
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — SPRITE, LEMON-LIME SODA, LEMON-LINE
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — BLUE BIG SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, BLUE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — GELATIN DESSERT, ORANGE
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LIME COLA, LIME
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — POWERADE, SPORTS DRINK WITH VITAMINS B3 & B6, LEMONADE, LEMONADE
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GELATIN DESSERT, POMEGRANATE BLUEBERRY
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CHERRY LOW CALORIE GELATIN SNACKS, CHERRY
Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — PEACH FLAVOR GELATIN DESSERT, PEACH
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
McCormick & Company, Inc. — DIJON STONE GROUND MUSTARD, DIJON
Mustard, Grape, Citric Acid, Turmeric
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
La Victoria Foods Inc. — MED THICK'N CHUNKY SALSA VERDE, MED THICK'N CHUNKY
Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — BLACK OLIVE HUMMUS
Sesame, Olive, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Terrapin Ridge Farms LLC — MANGO HABANERO JAM, MANGO HABANERO
Mango, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
BJ's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — FAT FREE ULTRA PASTEURIZED HALF AND HALF
Cow's Milk, Corn, Citric Acid, Carrageenan
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Instant Powder Mix Lemon Lime 18.30Z
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade G2 Low Calorie Grape Thirst Quencher (8 - 20 Fluid Ounce) 160 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Tropicana Trop50 Raspberry Lemonade Juice 59 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lemon, Raspberry
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — TOMATO SAUCE, TOMATO
Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — ODOMS TENNESSEE PRIDE Sausage Links, 9 OZ
Pork, MSG, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc. — ICED TEA
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Tea
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — GLACIER CHERRY CRISP & COOL THIRST QUENCHER, GLACIER CHERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Unilever — ICED PASSION SWEETENED HERBAL TEA K-CUP PODS, ICED PASSION
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Cinnamon, Orange
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — MELON FUSION GELATIN DESSERT, MELON FUSION
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Post Consumer Brands, LLC — INSTANT OATMEAL, WILD BERRY
Oat, Cane Sugar, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
4 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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