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 99 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Pineapple Fruit Spread, Pineapple
Corn, Fructose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pineapple, Cane Sugar, Lime, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Quaker Oats Co./gatorade-van Camp — Strawberry Kiwi Thirst Quencher, Strawberry Kiwi
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Glycerin/Glycerol, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Lemon Pepper Seasoning, Lemon Pepper
Black Pepper, Cane Sugar, Corn, Garlic, Citric Acid, Onion, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Nestle Waters North America Inc./poland Spring — Poland Spring, Nature's Blends, Spring Water & Real Juice, Raspberry, Raspberry
Cane Sugar, Grape, Raspberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Hunts Arrabbiata Flavor Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 Oz
Tomato, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Orville Redenbachers Mini Butter Popcorn, 15 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte — Citrus Salad Red & White Grapefruit with Oranges in 100% Juice, Citrus Salad
Grapefruit, Orange, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — V8 V-fusion Beverage Strawberry Banana
Sweet Potato, Carrot, Beet, Apple, Grape, Strawberry, Banana, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Berries Fat Free6x7.2 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dairylea Processed Cheese-portions Regular 250.000 Gr
Cow's Milk, Whey, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Campbell's Sauces Marsala
Grape, Yeast (Baker's), Mushroom, Tomato, Cow's Milk, Garlic, Cane Sugar, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Good Humor-breyers Ice Cream — Sugar Free Ice Pops
Glycerin/Glycerol, Corn, Citric Acid, Aspartame, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, Cherry, Beet, Grape, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Mccormick, Culinary Selects, Zesty Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Black Pepper, Corn, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Sparkling Water
Apple, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Kraft Heinz Foods Company — STRAWBERRY LEMONADE PURE ENERGY NATURALLY SWEETENED DRINK MIX, STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Lemon, Strawberry, Turmeric, Beet
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Moroccan Style Stew, Moroccan Style
Tomato, Citric Acid, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Lentil, Potato, Chili Pepper, Garlic, Coriander/Cilantro, Ginger, Cumin, Cinnamon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Peach Chunks + Pomegranate & Orange Juice Blend of 100% Juices, Peach Chunks + Pomegranate & Orange Juice Blend
Peach, Grape, Pear, Orange, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mott's LLP — ORIGINAL MARGARITA MIX, ORIGINAL
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez International, Inc. — BUBBLEGUM SUGAR FREE GUM WITH XYLITOL, BUBBLEGUM
Glycerin/Glycerol, Aspartame, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Act Ii Butter Popcorn, 12.7 Oz
Corn, Cow's Milk, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mars, Inc. — WILD BERRIES MESSAGE HEARTS & RINGS GUMMIES CANDY, STRAWBERRY, RED RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY, BLACK RASPBERRY, WHITE GRAPE, CHERRY BERRY
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Sour Patch Kids Soft Candy Kids Fat Free24x48 1n
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
MARKET PANTRY — DICED TOMATOES WITH ROASTED GARLIC & ONION
Tomato, Garlic, Onion, Olive, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — FANTA, SODA, FRUIT PUNCH, FRUIT PUNCH
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Welch's — Low Calorie Drink Mix
Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
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