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 53 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Pepsico Inc. — Quaker Lower Sugar Instant Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon (10 - 1.09 Oz) 10.9 Ounce 10 Pack Packets
Oat, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Cinnamon
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Tropicana Trop50 Pomegranate Blueberry Juice 59 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Orange, Grape, Apple, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Orange (12 - 12 Fluid Ounce) 144 Fluid Ounce 12 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — 100% CRANBERRY PINEAPPLE FLAVORED JUICE BLEND OF 4 JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE, CRANBERRY PINEAPPLE
Cranberry, Pineapple, Apple, Grape, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — THIRST QUENCHER CONCENTRATE PODS
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40, Corn
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — PINEAPPLE MANGO DIET GREEN TEA, PINEAPPLE MANGO
Tea, Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — MINI SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, MINI
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's LLP — SODA
Apple, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
NESTLE — FLAVORED JUICE BLEND
Apple, Pear, Grape, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — TROPICAL PUNCH ZERO SUGAR FLAVORED DRINK MIX, TROPICAL PUNCH
Citric Acid, Corn, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — VIVA ITALIAN DRESSING, VIVA ITALIAN
Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Paprika
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LIPTON, ICED TEA, LEMON, LEMON
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon, Tea
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — JAM, STRAWBERRY
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — THICK & CHUNKY SALSA, MEDIUM
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GELATIN DESSERT, APRICOT
Cane Sugar, Apricot, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — CHOCOLATE DESSERT TOPPING, CHOCOLATE
Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Corn, Citric Acid, Coumarin/Vanillin
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC — PINEAPPLE BITES WITH CHILI, PINEAPPLE WITH CHILI
Pineapple, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Paprika
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
GOOD & GATHER — ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS
Sesame, Garlic, Canola/Rapeseed, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — SQUEEZABLE FRUIT, MIXED BERRY FLAVORED FRUIT PUREE, MIXED BERRY
Apple, Pear, Strawberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — MIXED FRUIT
Peach, Pear, Grape, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. — GLACIER FREEZE ENERGY DRINK, GLACIER FREEZE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
ConAgra Foods Packaged Foods, LLC — SPICY GUACAMOLE MIX WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO, HABANERO & GARLIC, SPICY ROASTED TOMATILLO, HABANERO & GARLIC
Garlic, Chili Pepper, Cane Sugar, Coriander/Cilantro, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company US — Kellogg's Mini-Wheats Cereal Blueberry Muffin 21oz
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Rice, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — KOOL-AID, DRINK MIX, CHERRY, CHERRY
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
BJ's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — PETITE IMPORTED PEPPERONCINI
Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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