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 56 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Kellogg Company US — Kellogg's Mini-Wheats Cereal Frosted Strawberry 15.5oz
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Rice, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — SOUR PATCH KIDS, SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, BLUE RASPBERRY, BLUE RASPBERRY
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — DRAGONFRUIT COLA, DRAGONFRUIT
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — KIWI STRAWBERRY THIRST QUENCHER, KIWI STRAWBERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Berry (4 - 12 Fluid Ounce) 48 Fluid Ounce 4 Pack Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — PEACHES & PEARS IN CHERRY HIBISCUS FLAVORED JUICE, PEACHES & PEARS IN CHERRY HIBISCUS
Peach, Pear, Grape, Cherry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — MIXED BERRY ELECTROLYTE BEVERAGE, MIXED BERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LEMON LIME SPARKLING FLAVORED SODA, LEMON LIME
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — DANIMALS SMOOTHIE MAX
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Corn, Whey, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — GREEK YOGURT
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
NESTLE — WILD & SWEET RASPBERRY SPARKLING WATER BEVERAGE, WILD & SWEET RASPBERRY
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — LEMONADE FLAVORED DRINK, LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — ROOT BEER SODA, ROOT BEER
Fructose, Corn, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-Cola Company — MOROCCAN MINT GREEN TEA
Tea, Cane Sugar, Honey, Mint/Menthol, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — ROASTED RED PEPPER HOMMUS WITH TOPPINGS, ROASTED RED PEPPER
Sesame, Sunflower, Citric Acid, Garlic, Parsley
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ZERO SUGAR PURPLESAURUS REX LOW CALORIE ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED DRINK MIX, PURPLESAURUS REX
Citric Acid, Corn, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — COUNTRY PUMPKIN BUTTER
Pumpkin, Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — PURPLESAURUS REX RETRO JAMMERS FLAVORED DRINK, PURPLESAURUS REX
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-Cola Company — BARRILITOS, APPLE SODA, APPLE, APPLE
Fructose, Corn, Apple, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — TOMATO SAUCE TOMATOES, TOMATO
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Chili Pepper
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — BLUE RASPBERRY LEMONADE SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, BLUE RASPBERRY LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1, Fructose
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — FRUIT PUNCH FLAVORED 100% JUICE BLEND, FRUIT PUNCH
Apple, Grape, Pear, Citric Acid, Cherry
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — BLACK CHERRY LEMONADE FLAVORED DRINK MIX, BLACK CHERRY LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hershey Company — COOL LEMON ICE CUBES SUGAR FREE GUM, COOL LEMON
Aspartame, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Dole 100% Juice Orange Peach Mango 59 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Apple, Orange, Peach, Mango, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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