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Gushers Variety Pack
Gushers · 0/100 · Not approved
5 not-approved ingredients detected; 4 banned in at least one country
What we flagged
| Ingredient | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar (Refined) | Caution | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Corn Syrup | Caution | Refined glucose syrup from corn starch. |
| Modified Food Starch | Not approved | Industrially modified starch (chemical, enzymatic, or physical processing — label rarely specifies which). Common GMO source (corn/wheat/tapioca), and several modification agents (propylene oxide, sodium hydroxide) are flagged in EU regulatory reviews. Editorial position: not what we'd stock. |
| Maltodextrin | Caution | Highly processed starch derivative with a glycemic index higher than table sugar. |
| Cottonseed Oil | Not approved | Byproduct of cotton industry; cotton is heavily sprayed and the oil retains pesticide residues. |
| Carrageenan | Not approved | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Xanthan Gum | Caution | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | Not approved | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF) | Not approved | Synthetic triarylmethane dye; was banned in France, Norway and Finland until 2008 EU harmonization. |
How the score was reached
100 − 50×5 − 10×5 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Modified Food Starch | -50 | Industrially modified starch (chemical, enzymatic, or physical processing — label rarely specifies which). Common GMO source (corn/wheat/tapioca), and several modification agents (propylene oxide, sodium hydroxide) are flagged in EU regulatory reviews. Editorial position: not what we'd stock. |
| Cottonseed Oil | -50 | Byproduct of cotton industry; cotton is heavily sprayed and the oil retains pesticide residues. |
| Carrageenan | -50 | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | -50 | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF) | -50 | Synthetic triarylmethane dye; was banned in France, Norway and Finland until 2008 EU harmonization. |
| Sugar (Refined) | -10 | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Corn Syrup | -10 | Refined glucose syrup from corn starch. |
| Maltodextrin | -10 | Highly processed starch derivative with a glycemic index higher than table sugar. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Xanthan Gum | -10 | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
Ingredients
tropicalSugar (Refined)Corn Syruppear puree concentrateModified Food StarchfructoseMaltodextrinpalm oilcontains or less ofCottonseed Oilglyceringrape juice concentrateCarrageenanCitric Acidmonoglyceridessodium citrateMalic AcidAscorbic Acid (Vitamin C)Natural Flavorpotassium citrateagar-agarXanthan GumcolorRed 40 (Allura Red AC)Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF)yellow 5 & 6strawberry
Diets this fits
PescatarianGluten-freeDairy-free
Label claims
Gluten Free
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