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 57 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — POMEGRANATE FLAVORED ENERGY DRINK, POMEGRANATE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Carrot
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — MEDIUM THICK & CHUNKY SALSA
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Q — SPECTACULAR GINGER ALE
Citric Acid, Ginger, Coriander/Cilantro, Chili Pepper, Orange
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PEPSICO, INC — SPARKLING POMEGRANATE FLAVORED JUICE BEVERAGE BLEND, POMEGRANATE
Apple, Grape, Pineapple, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — HARVEST COARSE GROUND MUSTARD, HARVEST COARSE GROUND
Mustard, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Grape, Corn
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — KOOL-AID, LOW CALORIE DRINK MIX, GRAPE, GRAPE
Citric Acid, Corn, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — POPCORN, BUTTER
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Paprika, Turmeric
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SIERRA MIST, DIET LEMON-LIME SODA, CRANBERRY SPLASH, CRANBERRY SPLASH
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — VERY BERRY PUNCH REFRESHERS JUICE DRINK BLEND FROM CONCENTRATE, VERY BERRY PUNCH
Apple, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Grape, Pear
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Califia Farms, LP — FRENCH VANILLA FLAVORED ALMONDMILK CREAMER, FRENCH VANILLA
Almond, Cane Sugar, Sunflower, Vanilla, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CRANBERRY LEMON LIME SPARKLING FLAVORED SODA, CRANBERRY
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — ORIGINAL SPARKLING LEMONADE, ORIGINAL
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — MANGO ZERO SUGAR COLA, MANGO
Aspartame, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Benzoic Acid, Mango
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — ORGANIC POPCORN, WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE
Corn, Sunflower, Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8, VEGETABLE AND FRUIT JUICE BEVERAGE, PINEAPPLE PASSION, PINEAPPLE PASSION
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CARAMEL CREAM ZERO CALORIE FLAVORED DIET COLA, CARAMEL CREAM
Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Corn
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — SPORTS DRINK WITH VITAMINS B3, B6 & B12, WATERMELON LIME
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GRAPE DRINK MIX, GRAPE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Company — BLUEBERRY STRAWBERRY INSTANT OATMEAL, BLUEBERRY STRAWBERRY
Oat, Cane Sugar, Blueberry, Strawberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — TROPRRGRPFRT 32OZPLSGL
Grapefruit, Grape, Apple, Pineapple, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Frost Crisp & Cool Glacier Freeze Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Frost Glacier Freeze 20 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Unilever Bestfoods France — HOT HONEY DIJON MUSTARD, HOT HONEY DIJON
Mustard, Honey, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Chili Pepper
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — CHERRY LIME ELECTROLYTE BEVERAGE, CHERRY LIME
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — NON FAT GREEK YOGURT
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Peach, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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