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 97 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Dannon, Creamy Nonfat Yogurt, Cherry
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Carrot, Citric Acid, Yogurt
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills, Inc. — WHOLE MILK YOGHURT, STRAWBERRY
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton — Shedd's, Buttermatch, Whipped Vegetable Oil Spread
Soybean, Cow's Milk, Lecithin (Soy), Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
H.j.heinz Foods Uk Limited — Cream of Tomato Soup
Tomato, Corn, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Cola
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Caffeine
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Pepsi Lipton — Honey Green Real Brewed Tea, Honey Green Tea
Tea, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Honey
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
General Mills Sales Inc. — Yoplait Original Harvest Peach Low Fat Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Yogurt
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Pink Fat Free1x5.000 Lb
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Extreme Fat Free1x3.5 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Del Monte, Pasta Sauce, Traditional
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Soybean, Onion, Carrot, Citric Acid, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Inc. — Hummus
Canola/Rapeseed, Sesame, Citric Acid, Olive, Lemon, Garlic, Rosemary
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Diced Mangos in Light Syrup
Mango, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Tazo, Flavored Sweetened Black Tea, Iced Blushberry Black
Cane Sugar, Tea, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Lipton, Iced Tea Lemonade Flavor with Other Natural Flavor, K-cup Pods, Iced Tea Lemonade Flavor with Other Natural Flavor
Cane Sugar, Tea, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Corn, Tapioca
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Berry Kiwi Electrolyte Water Beverage Mix, Berry Kiwi
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
The Minute Maid Company — Ecto Cooler Drink, Citrus
Fructose, Corn, Orange, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts No Salt Added Tomato Sauce, 8 Oz
Tomato, Citric Acid, Onion, Garlic, Chili Pepper
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Angela Mia Diced Tomatoes in Puree, #10 Can, 6/103 Oz., 103 Oz
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Chai Skinny Latte Black Tea Concentrate, Skinny Latte
Tea, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cane Sugar, Honey, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — California Diced Tomatoes with Natural Sea Salt
Tomato, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 2 — Reintroduction |
|
Yoplait USA — Plentiful Greek Yogurt with Whole Grain Oats,flax & Pumpkin Seeds
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Oat, Coconut, Pumpkin, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
H.j. Heinz Company — Smoothie
Cow's Milk, Strawberry, Yogurt, Cane Sugar, Corn, Blueberry, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Perdue — Grilled Italian Style Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat, Grilled Italian Style
Chicken, Rice, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Corn, Onion, Paprika, Citric Acid, Parsley
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Diced Pears in 100% Fruit Juice
Pear, Grape, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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