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.
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
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 75 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — CITRUS KICK THIRST QUENCHER, CITRUS KICK
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — VOO-DEW MYSTERY FLAVOR SODA, VOO-DEW
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Yoplait USA — LOWFAT GREEK YOGURT
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
PepsiCo, Inc. — JUICE BEVERAGE BLEND, SPARKLING PEAR
Apple, Grape, Pear, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — MIXED FRUIT IN NATURALLY FLAVORED 100% JUICE
Peach, Pear, Grape, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CHERRY PIE FILLING & TOPPING, CHERRY
Cherry, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — LEMON ICED TEA, LEMON
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Lemon, Tea
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — DASANI, FLAVOR ENHANCER, LIME, LIME
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Blue #1, Lime
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — DIET SPARKLING SODA, CRANBERRY, LEMON LIME
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — HUBERT'S, HALF & HALF LEMONADE TEA, PEACH, PEACH
Cane Sugar, Lemon, Tea, Citric Acid, Peach
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Austinuts Wholesale, Inc. — DRY ROASTED SMOKEY MESQUITE CASHEWS, DRY ROASTED
Cashew, Cane Sugar, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
DUBBLE BUBBLE WRAPPED BUBBLE GUM, 8 OZ
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Miramar Wholesale Nurseries — FRUIT POPS, ORANGE CREAM
Orange, Cane Sugar, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, Carob
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — CAFFEINE FREE STRAWBERRY SODA, STRAWBERRY
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Frost Rain Strawberry Kiwi Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SPARKLING FLAVORED SODA, LEMON LIME
Fructose, Corn, Lemon, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Perform Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher 11.6 Fluid Ounce Aluminum Can
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Red Bull North America, Inc. — ENERGY DRINK, BLUEBERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Caffeine, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — GINGER COLA, GINGER
Ginger, Caffeine, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — MINI SOFT & CHEWY CANDY
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MyTerra Inc. , DBA Jinka — LEMON & DILL PLANT-BASED TUNA, LEMON & DILL
Soybean, Canola/Rapeseed, Lemon, Dill, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DRINK, TROPICAL PUNCH
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — STRAWBERRY GELATIN DESSERT MIX, STRAWBERRY
Cane Sugar, Beef, Pork, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DRINK MIX, GRAPE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Frost Orange Strawberry Thirst Quencher 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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