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KROGER · 0/100 · Not approved
6 not-approved ingredients detected; 2 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. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) | Caution | Emulsifier shown in 2022 NIH study to alter gut microbiota in humans. |
| Carrageenan | Not approved | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| Polysorbate 80 | Caution | Synthetic surfactant; animal studies show gut microbiome disruption. |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | Not approved | Industrially produced via enzymatic conversion of corn starch; strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction. |
| Artificial Flavor | Not approved | Undisclosed synthetic flavoring compounds; no transparency about composition. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | Not approved | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Soy Lecithin | Caution | Hexane-extracted from soybeans unless labeled non-GMO/organic. |
| Red 3 (Erythrosine) | Not approved | Banned from US food (Jan 2025) and cosmetics (1990) after rat studies linked it to thyroid tumors. |
| Soybean Oil | Not approved | Industrial seed oil, high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid; typically hexane-extracted. |
100 − 50×6 − 10×6 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Carrageenan | -50 | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | -50 | Industrially produced via enzymatic conversion of corn starch; strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction. |
| Artificial Flavor | -50 | Undisclosed synthetic flavoring compounds; no transparency about composition. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | -50 | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Red 3 (Erythrosine) | -50 | Banned from US food (Jan 2025) and cosmetics (1990) after rat studies linked it to thyroid tumors. |
| Soybean Oil | -50 | Industrial seed oil, high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid; typically hexane-extracted. |
| 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. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) | -10 | Emulsifier shown in 2022 NIH study to alter gut microbiota in humans. |
| Polysorbate 80 | -10 | Synthetic surfactant; animal studies show gut microbiome disruption. |
| Soy Lecithin | -10 | Hexane-extracted from soybeans unless labeled non-GMO/organic. |
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