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 61 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
PROBIOTICS & FIBER STRAWBERRY DRINKABLE YOGURT
Yogurt, Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — BEACH BREEZE ENERGY DRINK, BEACH BREEZE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CHERRY GEL SNACKS, CHERRY
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Cherry, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — FRUIT FLAVORED SNACKS, TRICK OR TREAT BERRY
Corn, Cane Sugar, Apple, Citric Acid, Sunflower
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Lemon-Lime Thirst Quencher 24 Fluid Ounce Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SQUEEZABLE SPREAD, STRAWBERRY
Strawberry, Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — SEASONED PIZZA SAUCE
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Olive, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Lemon Lime 64 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Fruit Punch 64 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — OLD EL PASO, THICK 'N CHUNKY SALSA, HOT, HOT
Tomato, Onion, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Garlic
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — COOK & SERVE PUDDING & PIE FILLING, LEMON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Nuestro Tangerine Mandarina 28 Fluid Ounce Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher (12 - 12FlOz) 144 Fluid Ounces 12Pk Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — HORMEL Beef Pepperoni 14 Slices Per Ounce
Beef, Corn, Paprika, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
SUMMER FREEZE SODA
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — THIRST QUENCHER, FRUIT PUNCH
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — STRAWBERRY LEMONADE DRINK MIX, STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — KOOL-AID, UNSWEETENED DRINK MIX, MANDARINA-TANGERINE, MANDARINA-TANGERINE
Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — STRAWBERRY PRESERVES
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — FLAVOR ENHANCER, PEAR ACAI
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, Pear
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — MANGO THIRST QUENCHER
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CRYSTAL LIGHT, PURE NATURALLY SWEETENED DRINK MIX, TROPICAL BLEND, TROPICAL BLEND
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Corn, Beet, Turmeric
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — WILD CHERRY COLA, WILD CHERRY
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — PEACH GEORGIA STYLE ICED TEA, PEACH
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Peach, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Lemon Lime 128 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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