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 64 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Nestle USA Inc. — TROPICAL FRUITS FRUIT ENHANCED COCONUT WATER, TROPICAL FRUITS
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Coconut, Pear, Pineapple
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — MANGO JUICE, MANGO
Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — RED, WHITE & BLUE SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, RED, WHITE & BLUE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — PEPSI SODA, 12 FL OZ, 12 COUNT
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — THIRST QUENCHER
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — GLACIER FREEZE CRISP & COOL THIRST QUENCHER, GLACIER FREEZE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc. — RASPBERRY FRUIT ICE BARS, RASPBERRY
Raspberry, Cane Sugar, Lemon, Carob, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SMALL CURD COTTAGE CHEESE
Cottage Cheese, Cow's Milk, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 80
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — CRISP PEAR SUGARFREE ENERGY DRINK, CRISP PEAR
Aspartame, Blue #1, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hershey Mexico, S.A. De C.V. — PELON, MINI SOFT CANDY, TAMARIND, TAMARIND
Cane Sugar, Corn, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
LIMONADE COLA SOFT DRINK, LIMONADE
Lemon, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Fructose
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — CITRUS FLAVORED CULTURED DAIRY BEVERAGE
Cane Sugar, Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid, Yogurt
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC — PINEAPPLE MANGO 100% JUICE IN A BLEND WITH ANOTHER FRUIT JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE, PINEAPPLE MANGO
Pineapple, Mango, Apple, Grape, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ORIGINAL MACARONI & CHEESE SAUCE MIX, ORIGINAL
Whey, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Paprika, Turmeric
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — HUNT'S, DICED FENNEL & RED PEPPER
Tomato, Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Solanine
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — SMUCKER'S, SIMPLY FRUIT, PEACH SPREADABLE FRUIT
Peach, Apple, Pear, Grape, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — SEEDLESS BLACK RASPBERRY SPREADABLE FRUIT
Raspberry, Grape, Apple, Pear, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SHOCKIN' BLUE RASPBERRY SOUR JAMMERS FLAVORED DRINK, SHOCKIN' BLUE RASPBERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Blue #1, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — APRICOT SUGAR FREE PRESERVES, APRICOT
Apricot, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
STRAWBERRY DAIGUIRI
Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Lime, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — SODA, STRAWBERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Coca-Cola Company — HERBAL BLUE, POMEGRANATE BLUE
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DELI DELUXE PASTEURIZED PROCESS WHITE AMERICAN CHEESE, WHITE AMERICAN
American Cheese, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Strawberry Watermelon 20 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Baken-ets Chicarrones Salt and Vinegar Fried Pork Skins 1.5 Ounces
Pork, Corn, Cow's Milk, MSG, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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