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 78 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — GELATIN DESSERT, MANGO
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc. — PINEAPPLE FRUIT ICE BARS, PINEAPPLE
Pineapple, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Carob, Turmeric
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — GRAPE ZERO SUGAR WITH PROTEIN THIRST QUENCHER, GRAPE
Whey, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MINUTE MAID WATERMELON CARTON, 59 FL OZ
Fructose, Corn, Watermelon, Pear, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — DRINK MIX, TROPICAL PUNCH
Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Corn
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — BERRY BLUE JUICY GELS, BERRY BLUE
Cane Sugar, Apple, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — CHERRY VANILLA COLA, CHERRY VANILLA
Cane Sugar, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Cherry, Vanilla
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Chobani, Inc. — SMOOTH YOGURT
Cow's Milk, Whey, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — 100% NATURAL TOMATOES SAUCE, TOMATOES
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Chili Pepper
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — COUNTRY TIME, DRINK MIX, LEMONADE, LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid, Corn, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Foods-Snack Foods Group — MICROWAVE POPCORN, BUTTER LOVERS
Corn, Cow's Milk, Turmeric, Paprika, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
BJ's Wholesale Club / Corporate Brands — PETITE PEPPERONCINI
Chili Pepper, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
La Victoria Foods Inc. — MEDIUM THICK'N CHUNKY SALSA, MEDIUM, THICK'N CHUNKY
Tomato, Chili Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle USA Inc. — SWEET ICED TEA MIX
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Tea, Corn, Lemon
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
R. C. Bigelow, Inc. — UNSWEETENED ICED PERFECT PEACH HERBAL TEA, UNSWEETENED
Orange, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid, Peach
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Thirst Quencher Lemon Lime 12 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #5
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Gatorade Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher (8 - 20 Fluid Ounce) 160 Fluid Ounce 8 Pack Plastic Bottles
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Glycerin/Glycerol
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — GATORADE ICED PUNCH 12Z4PK
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsico Inc. — Tropicana Cranberry Juice Beverage 32 Fluid Ounce Plastic Bottle
Cane Sugar, Cranberry, Grape, Apple, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. — NATURAL CINNAMON APPLE FLAVOR PIE FILLING, CINNAMON APPLE
Apple, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Tapioca, Cinnamon
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-Van Camp — APPLE PEAR FLAVORED RESTORE HYDRATION WITH ELECTROLYTES, APPLE PEAR
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Yellow #6
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi-Cola North America Inc. — KIWI STRAWBERRY ZERO SUGAR ICED TEA, KIWI STRAWBERRY
Citric Acid, Tea, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — DAIRY SNACK
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
NESTLE — WILD & SWEET NATURAL RASPBERRY FLAVORED WATER BEVERAGE, WILD & SWEET RASPBERRY
Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — BLUE RASPBERRY FLAVORED DRINK SODA, BLUE RASPBERRY
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Blue #1, Benzoic Acid
|
5 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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