Home › Ingredients › FRUIT & GRAIN CEREAL BARS, STRAWBERRY
KROGER · 0/100 · Not approved
2 not-approved ingredients detected; 1 banned in at least one country
| 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. |
| Maltodextrin | Caution | Highly processed starch derivative with a glycemic index higher than table sugar. |
| Xanthan Gum | Caution | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Mono- and Diglycerides | Caution | Often contain trans fats below the 0.5g labeling threshold. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | Not approved | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| 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 Wheat Flour | Caution | Refined flour stripped of bran/germ and fortified with synthetic vitamins to replace lost nutrients. |
| Canola Oil | Not approved | Bred from rapeseed; refined with hexane and high heat. Sometimes labeled "rapeseed oil". |
| Invert Sugar | Caution | Sugar split into glucose and fructose; equivalent metabolic load to HFCS. |
| Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) | Caution | Emulsifier shown in 2022 NIH study to alter gut microbiota in humans. |
| Soy Lecithin | Caution | Hexane-extracted from soybeans unless labeled non-GMO/organic. |
| Sodium Propionate | Caution | Mold inhibitor; similar to calcium propionate. |
100 − 50×2 − 10×12 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | -50 | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Canola Oil | -50 | Bred from rapeseed; refined with hexane and high heat. Sometimes labeled "rapeseed oil". |
| 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. |
| Xanthan Gum | -10 | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Mono- and Diglycerides | -10 | Often contain trans fats below the 0.5g labeling threshold. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| 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 Wheat Flour | -10 | Refined flour stripped of bran/germ and fortified with synthetic vitamins to replace lost nutrients. |
| Invert Sugar | -10 | Sugar split into glucose and fructose; equivalent metabolic load to HFCS. |
| Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) | -10 | Emulsifier shown in 2022 NIH study to alter gut microbiota in humans. |
| Soy Lecithin | -10 | Hexane-extracted from soybeans unless labeled non-GMO/organic. |
| Sodium Propionate | -10 | Mold inhibitor; similar to calcium propionate. |
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Scores come from our ingredient rules — never from commissions.
SmartChoice checks every ingredient on a product against these same rules — point your camera at the barcode and get a verdict in seconds.
Get SmartChoice — free on iPhoneEducational information, not medical or dietary advice. Scores reflect what the label states, checked against our published rules. Labels change — always read the product’s own packaging.