Home › Ingredients › SECRET SAUCE, SECRET
GREAT VALUE · 0/100 · Not approved
2 not-approved ingredients detected
| Ingredient | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Soybean Oil | Not approved | Industrial seed oil, high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid; typically hexane-extracted. |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | Not approved | Industrially produced via enzymatic conversion of corn starch; strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction. |
| Xanthan Gum | Caution | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Natural Flavors | Caution | Regulatory category permitting solvent extraction; composition not disclosed. |
| Sugar (Refined) | Caution | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| 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. |
| Sodium Benzoate | Caution | Can react with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to form benzene, a Group 1 carcinogen. |
| EDTA (Calcium Disodium) | Caution | Chelating preservative used to prevent discoloration. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
100 − 50×2 − 10×7 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Soybean Oil | -50 | Industrial seed oil, high in oxidation-prone linoleic acid; typically hexane-extracted. |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | -50 | Industrially produced via enzymatic conversion of corn starch; strongly associated with metabolic dysfunction. |
| Xanthan Gum | -10 | Microbial fermentation product; well tolerated by most but can cause GI distress in sensitive individuals. |
| Natural Flavors | -10 | Regulatory category permitting solvent extraction; composition not disclosed. |
| Sugar (Refined) | -10 | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| 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. |
| Sodium Benzoate | -10 | Can react with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to form benzene, a Group 1 carcinogen. |
| EDTA (Calcium Disodium) | -10 | Chelating preservative used to prevent discoloration. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
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