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 68 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mars, Inc. — WILD CHERRY HARD CANDY, WILD CHERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
WILD CHERRY SOUR CANDY STICKS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — STRAWBERRY WATERMELON THIRST QUENCHER, STRAWBERRY WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CRYSTAL LIGHT, DRINK MIX, CONCORD GRAPE, CONCORD GRAPE
Citric Acid, Corn, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — CHERRY BLUEBERRY FRUIT SPREAD, CHERRY BLUEBERRY
Cherry, Blueberry, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Hillshire Brands Company — ORIGINAL FULLY COOKED PORK SAUSAGE PATTIES, ORIGINAL
Pork, Cane Sugar, Yeast (Baker's), Citric Acid, Corn
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
TRIPLE SEC SYRUP
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — FRUIT PUNCH+BERRY THIRST QUENCHER
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CHERRY FLAVOR SODA, CHERRY
Fructose, Corn, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — THICK & CHUNKY SALSA, MILD
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SHOCKIN' BLUE RASPBERRY SOUR BURSTS SOFT DRINK, SHOCKIN' BLUE RASPBERRY
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Post Consumer Brands, LLC — LIGHTLY SWEETENED WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT CEREAL, BLUEBERRY
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Blueberry, Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Fierce Bold & Intense Strawberry Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Nuestro Sabor Lime Cucumber Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — ORANGE FLAVORED ELECTROLYTE BEVERAGE, ORANGE
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CREAM SODA SHOP COLA, CREAM
Fructose, Corn, Caffeine, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
SWEETENED LIME JUICE
Lime, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — PRESERVES, CHERRY
Cherry, Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DRINK MIX, NATURAL RASPBERRY PEACH
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Corn, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — CAFFEINE FREE ORANGE UNSWEETENED DRINK MIX, ORANGE
Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — FAT FREE SMALL CURD COTTAGE CHEESE
Cottage Cheese, Cow's Milk, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 80
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — ORIGINAL COLA, ORIGINAL
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LIPTON, DIET ICED TEA, PEACH, PEACH
Citric Acid, Tea, Caffeine, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — ORGANIC STEAK CUT FRIES
Potato, Canola/Rapeseed, Sunflower, Safflower, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — FANTA, SODA, STRAWBERRY, STRAWBERRY
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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