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 77 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — SODA MINI
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — LIMEADE
Fructose, Corn, Lime, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CHERRY VANILLA REAL SUGAR COLA, CHERRY VANILLA
Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Cherry, Vanilla
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — ELECTRIC LEMON LIME SOUR JAMMERS FLAVORED DRINK, ELECTRIC LEMON LIME
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Citrus Cooler Thirst Quencher (8 - 20 Fl Oz) 160 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Lemon Lime Thirst Quencher (8-20 Fluid Ounce) 160 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Fruit Punch 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kellogg Company US — Kellogg's Mini-Wheats Cereal Blueberry Muffin 15.5oz
Wheat, Cane Sugar, Rice, Blueberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Miramar Wholesale Nurseries — FRUIT BARS, RASPBERRY CITRUS
Raspberry, Lemon, Orange, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — STRAWBERRY KIWI FLAVORED THIRST QUENCHER, STRAWBERRY KIWI
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — BLUE BERRY FLAVORED COLA, BLUE BERRY
Fructose, Corn, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — SUMMER FRUITS THIRST QUENCHER, SUMMER FRUITS
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY — V8 BEVERAGE KIWI MELON
Carrot, Sweet Potato, Apple, Grape, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton — 53% VEGETABLE OIL SPREAD
Soybean, Whey, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
A SPLASH OF MANGO FLAVOR PEPSI
Corn, Fructose, Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — LOW CALORIE DRINK MIX, PINK LEMONADE
Citric Acid, Corn, Aspartame, Cane Sugar, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — DRINK, STRAWBERRY KIWI
Cane Sugar, Pear, Strawberry, Citric Acid, Grape
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — BERRY FLAVORED 100% JUICE BLEND FROM CONCENTRATE, BERRY
Apple, Grape, Pear, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CAFFEINE FREE SPARKLING SODA, CHERRY, LEMON LIME
Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — HANSEN'S NATURAL, BLEND JUICE, CRANBERRY GRAPE, CRANBERRY GRAPE
Apple, Grape, Pear, Cranberry, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — RIPE HARVEST, FLAVORED DRINK, APPLE, APPLE
Apple, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — ZERO SUGAR LEMONADE
Citric Acid, Aspartame, Benzoic Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — CHERRY SUGAR FREE LOW CALORIE JUICY GELS, CHERRY
Glycerin/Glycerol, Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — SPORTS DRINK, FRUIT PUNCH
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Strawberry Lemonade (8 - 20 Fl Oz) 160 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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