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 70 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — BERRIES SOFT & CHEWY CANDY, BERRIES
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — POWERADE, SPORTS DRINK WITH VITAMIN B3, B6 & B12, ORANGE, ORANGE
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — SOFT DRINK, CHERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Orange Thirst Quencher 128 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — CRANBERRY WATERMELON JUICE DRINK WITH ANOTHER JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE, CRANBERRY WATERMELON
Cane Sugar, Cranberry, Watermelon, Grape, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
R. C. Bigelow, Inc. — LEMON & ECHINACEA BLACK TEA BAGS, LEMON & ECHINACEA
Tea, Lemon, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — APPLES IN RASPBERRY CHERRY FLAVORED CHIA, APPLES IN RASPBERRY CHERRY
Apple, Raspberry, Cherry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — MANGO PINEAPPLE FLAVORED 100% JUICE BLEND FROM CONCENTRATE, MANGO PINEAPPLE
Apple, Grape, Pineapple, Mango, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — RIPTIDE RUSH CRISP & COOL THIRST QUENCHER POWDER, RIPTIDE RUSH
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1, Carrot
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — RED RASPBERRY PRESERVES
Raspberry, Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MANGO FLAVOR ALOE VERA DRINK
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Mango, Cabbage, Honey
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MINUTE MAID PEACH BOTTLES, 16.9 FL OZ, 6 PACK
Fructose, Corn, Pear, Peach, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
STRAWBERRY CANDY LACES
Corn, Wheat, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Unilever — TAZO, TEA & JUICE BLEND BEVERAGE, TAZOBERRY, TAZOBERRY
Apple, Cane Sugar, Cinnamon, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Nuestro Watermelon Citrus Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Bottle.
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MINUTE MAID MANGO PUNCH CARTON, 59 FL OZ
Fructose, Corn, Mango, Pear, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — APPLE RASPBERRY JUICE BASED SPORTS DRINK FROM CONCENTRATE, APPLE RASPBERRY
Apple, Raspberry, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — WHITE PEACH GREEN TEA, WHITE PEACH
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Tea, Peach
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — LOLLIPOP WITH SOUR CANDY DIPPING POWDER
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The J.M. Smucker Company — BUSTELO COOL, CAFE CON LECHE, COFFEE DRINK WITH MILK
Coffee, Cane Sugar, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Carrageenan
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — COOKIE BITES, LEMON DROP
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Instant Powder Mix Orange 18.3 OZ
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Orange (8 - 20 Fluid Ounce) 160 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Fruit Punch (6 - 12 Fluid Ounce) 72 Fluid Ounce 6 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Fruit Punch 128 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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