Home › Ingredients › KROGER, CHICKEN AND BBQ SAUCE BITES
KROGER · 0/100 · Not approved
5 not-approved ingredients detected; 3 banned in at least one country
| Ingredient | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Carrageenan | Not approved | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| Brown Sugar | Caution | Refined sugar with molasses added back. |
| 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. |
| Sugar (Refined) | Caution | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Polysorbate 80 | Caution | Synthetic surfactant; animal studies show gut microbiome disruption. |
| Xanthan Gum | Caution | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Partially Hydrogenated Oil | Not approved | Source of artificial trans fats; banned from the US food supply (2018) and across the EU (2021). |
| Canola Oil | Not approved | Bred from rapeseed; refined with hexane and high heat. Sometimes labeled "rapeseed oil". |
| Caramel Color (generic) | Caution | Without a Class number, manufacturer-disclosed type is unknown; Class III/IV variants (most common in colas) contain 4-MeI, a California Prop 65 carcinogen. |
| Enriched Flour | Caution | Refined flour with synthetic vitamins added back. |
| Soybean Oil | Not approved | Industrial seed oil, high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid; typically hexane-extracted. |
100 − 50×5 − 10×7 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Carrageenan | -50 | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| 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. |
| Partially Hydrogenated Oil | -50 | Source of artificial trans fats; banned from the US food supply (2018) and across the EU (2021). |
| Canola Oil | -50 | Bred from rapeseed; refined with hexane and high heat. Sometimes labeled "rapeseed oil". |
| Soybean Oil | -50 | Industrial seed oil, high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid; typically hexane-extracted. |
| Brown Sugar | -10 | Refined sugar with molasses added back. |
| Sugar (Refined) | -10 | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Polysorbate 80 | -10 | Synthetic surfactant; animal studies show gut microbiome disruption. |
| Xanthan Gum | -10 | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Caramel Color (generic) | -10 | Without a Class number, manufacturer-disclosed type is unknown; Class III/IV variants (most common in colas) contain 4-MeI, a California Prop 65 carcinogen. |
| Enriched Flour | -10 | Refined flour with synthetic vitamins added back. |
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