Why Store-Bought Guacamole Makes Your Tongue Tingle (2024)

Here's the full scoop.

When it comes to filling out a crowd-pleasing party spread, guacamole is a staple. It’s delicious, filling, and low-maintenance. But as you stock up on the rest of your party essentials at the grocery store, you might think twice about tossing a pre-packaged guacamole in your cart and instead, grab some ingredients to make it homemade.

If this plot sounds all too familiar, we hear you. There’s something that feels distinctly off about the store-bought stuff. Of course, homemade will always be superior, but why does the store-bought kind taste so strange?

It wasn’t until a team meeting with the food editors here at Allrecipes that we realized exactly what about the flavor is so displeasing: it makes your tongue tingle. And since then, it’s become a new, riveting food curiosity, right up there with ‘Why is deli meat rainbow?’ and ‘What are bacon bits actually made of?'

Let us explain. Sometimes after eating a bite of store-bought guac, a strange feeling lingers on your tongue that almost tickles, like you’re having some kind of reaction. But fear not (unless you have a known allergy to an ingredient in the dip), this sensation is happening to all of us guac snackers.

Why Does Store-Bought Guacamole Tingle Your Tongue?

The most likely answer is an ingredient most people don't put in their homemade recipe, but is in almost all store-bought versions.

Citric acid is a commonly used flavoring and preservative in mass food production. This ingredient is used to prevent enzymatic browning and infuse a tart, bright flavor, playing the same role as a squeeze of fresh lime juice in a guacamole recipe, but to a greater extent.

After exposure to the air, guacamole can develop a dark discoloration. Even though the brown hue doesn’t affect the flavor or safety of the dip, it doesn’t look as inviting. But sometimes the effort to preserve the bright hue results in a funky flavor. So, the same reason why the store-bought guacamole stays bright and beautiful after a few days in the fridge is the same reason it makes your tongue feel funny.

Citric acid lives in the FDA’s list of foods “generally recognized as safe” and is commonly recognized for giving candy its sour properties. Although it occurs naturally in citrus fruits, it can also be extracted on an industrial scale from other foods.

Another common flavoring and preservative is ascorbic acid, and although it is also naturally found in citrus, it's very different from citric acid. Citric acid is more acidic and works better to lower the pH in the food, while ascorbic acid is better at preserving the color of the food. Also, citric acid tastes more sour while ascorbic acid has a saltier flavor.

In a store-bought guacamole, citric acid, ascorbic acid, or even a combination of the two are usually the culprit behind the tongue tickling.

How To Avoid Tongue-Tingling Guacamole

The best-tasting guacamole is the one that’s homemade and luckily, it’s incredibly easy to make. With just a handful of ingredients, you can whip up a fresh and creamy avocado dip that maintains its vibrant green color without any preservatives. You can also give it your own flavor spin with cream cheese, Serrano chilis, or even mango.

If you’re in a pinch and need to grab one in your grocery run, opt for the fresh-made options typically found in the bakery section.