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12 SANDWICH COOKIES, OATMEAL CREME PIES
LITTLE DEBBIE · 0/100 · Not approved
8 not-approved ingredients detected; 8 banned in at least one country
What we flagged
| Ingredient | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Corn Syrup | Caution | Refined glucose syrup from corn starch. |
| Enriched Wheat Flour | Caution | Refined flour stripped of bran/germ and fortified with synthetic vitamins to replace lost nutrients. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Sugar (Refined) | Caution | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Dextrose | Caution | Refined glucose, typically from corn. |
| Soy Lecithin | Caution | Hexane-extracted from soybeans unless labeled non-GMO/organic. |
| Mono- and Diglycerides | Caution | Often contain trans fats below the 0.5g labeling threshold. |
| Polysorbate 60 | Caution | Synthetic surfactant. |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | Not approved | Industrially produced via enzymatic conversion of corn starch; strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction. |
| Milk Powder | Caution | Dehydrated milk; spray-drying can oxidize cholesterol. |
| 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. |
| Carrageenan | Not approved | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| 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. |
| Titanium Dioxide | Not approved | Banned as a food additive across the EU in 2022 after EFSA could not rule out genotoxicity from nanoparticles. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | Not approved | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) | Not approved | Synthetic azo dye associated with hyperactivity in sensitive 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. |
| Artificial Flavors | Not approved | Undisclosed synthetic flavoring compounds. |
| Polysorbate 80 | Caution | Synthetic surfactant; animal studies show gut microbiome disruption. |
How the score was reached
100 − 50×8 − 10×11 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | -50 | Industrially produced via enzymatic conversion of corn starch; strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction. |
| 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. |
| Carrageenan | -50 | Linked in animal studies to gut inflammation; banned in EU infant formula. |
| Titanium Dioxide | -50 | Banned as a food additive across the EU in 2022 after EFSA could not rule out genotoxicity from nanoparticles. |
| Red 40 (Allura Red AC) | -50 | Synthetic azo dye linked in studies to hyperactivity in children. Mandatory warning label in the EU. |
| Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) | -50 | Synthetic azo dye associated with hyperactivity in sensitive 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. |
| Artificial Flavors | -50 | Undisclosed synthetic flavoring compounds. |
| Corn Syrup | -10 | Refined glucose syrup from corn starch. |
| Enriched Wheat Flour | -10 | Refined flour stripped of bran/germ and fortified with synthetic vitamins to replace lost nutrients. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Sugar (Refined) | -10 | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Dextrose | -10 | Refined glucose, typically from corn. |
| Soy Lecithin | -10 | Hexane-extracted from soybeans unless labeled non-GMO/organic. |
| Mono- and Diglycerides | -10 | Often contain trans fats below the 0.5g labeling threshold. |
| Polysorbate 60 | -10 | Synthetic surfactant. |
| Milk Powder | -10 | Dehydrated milk; spray-drying can oxidize cholesterol. |
| 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. |
| Polysorbate 80 | -10 | Synthetic surfactant; animal studies show gut microbiome disruption. |
Ingredients
Corn SyrupEnriched Wheat FlourWheat Flourbarley maltniacinreduced ironthiamin mononitrate [vitamin b1]riboflavin [vitamin b2]folic acidNatural FlavorSugar (Refined)whole grain oatsWaterDextroseMolassesRaisinscontains or less of each of the followingleaveningBaking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)ammonium bicarbonatesodium aluminum phosphateWheySaltSoy LecithinCornstarchMono- and Diglyceridessorbitan monostearatePolysorbate 60Eggspalm and palm kernel oilEgg Whitescocoa processed with alkaliHigh Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)Rice FlourMilk PowderModified Food StarchdatemTapioca StarchCarrageenancolorsCaramel Color (generic)Titanium DioxideRed 40 (Allura Red AC)beta caroteneannatto extractturmericYellow 5 (Tartrazine)Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF)sorbic acidto preserve freshnessspicesArtificial FlavorsCitric AcidMalic Acidpropylene glycol monostearatesodium stearoyl lactylatePolysorbate 80
Diets this fits
Pescatarian
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