Is Balanced Breaks Cheese & Crackers Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Sargento
Balanced Breaks Cheese & Crackers is a snack from Sargento. It has a Zerotox safety score of 70/100, which means it looks generally acceptable but still includes some ingredients worth reviewing.
The main ingredients worth reviewing are Sugar, Refiner Syrup.
70 / 100
Why score is 70
The composition includes Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, which are natural dairy products, but also contains sugar and refined oils, raising moderate concerns about processing and additives.
Main concern
Contains sugar, which is a refined ingredient that may raise concerns about overall healthiness.
Why it matters: This ingredient is flagged in our analysis based on regulatory and scientific sources. Check the Ingredients section for details and see Data sources for methodology.
Regulation status: Ingredient safety is assessed from EU/EPA/CIR and similar databases; formulations may vary. Always read the product label.
Pros
- Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses are natural dairy products, providing flavor and texture.
- Whole grain wheat flour in crackers offers some dietary fiber and nutrients.
- Potato starch is used to prevent caking, ensuring product quality and usability.
- The use of cheese cultures indicates a traditional cheese-making process.
Concerns
- Contains sugar, which is a refined ingredient that may raise concerns about overall healthiness.
- Canola oil is a processed oil, which can be a concern for some consumers.
- Refiner syrup is a sweetener that adds to the sugar content, raising quality concerns.
- The presence of leavening agents indicates some processing in the cracker component.
Who should avoid this product?
This snack may not be the best fit for:
- people with sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivity
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
Each ingredient below is explained in the context of this snack so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Monterey Jack Cheese safe in this snack?
Good
Monterey Jack Cheese is used here as base. Monterey Jack cheese is a natural dairy product made from pasteurized milk, providing flavor and texture.
Role in formula: base
Original: Monterey Jack Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes)
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Is Cheddar Cheese safe in this snack?
Good
Cheddar Cheese is used here as base. Cheddar cheese is a natural dairy product that adds flavor and richness to the snack.
Role in formula: base
Original: Cheddar Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto (Vegetable Color)]
-
Is Whole Grain Wheat Flour safe in this snack?
Good
Whole Grain Wheat Flour is used here as base. Whole grain wheat flour provides dietary fiber and essential nutrients, contributing positively to the snack's composition.
Role in formula: base
Original: Whole Grain Wheat Flour
-
Is Canola Oil safe in this snack?
Medium
Canola Oil is used here as emulsifier. Canola oil is a refined oil used for texture but raises concerns due to its processing and potential health implications.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: Canola Oil
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Is Sugar safe in this snack?
Bad
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is a refined sweetener that adds to the overall sugar content, raising concerns about healthiness.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: Sugar
-
Is Corn Starch safe in this snack?
Medium
Corn Starch is used here as thickener. Corn starch is a processed ingredient used for texture but does not provide significant nutritional benefits.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: Corn Starch
-
Is Malt Syrup safe in this snack?
Medium
Malt Syrup is used here as sweetener. Malt syrup is a sweetener derived from corn and barley, contributing to the sugar content and raising quality concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: Malt Syrup (From Corn And Barley)
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Is Salt safe in this snack?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor in both cheese and crackers, playing a crucial role in taste.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: Salt
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Is Refiner Syrup safe in this snack?
Bad
Refiner Syrup is used here as sweetener. Refiner syrup is a processed sweetener that adds to the sugar content, raising concerns about healthiness.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: Refiner Syrup
-
Is Leavening safe in this snack?
Medium
Leavening is used here as leavening. Leavening agents like calcium phosphate and baking soda are used in the crackers, indicating some processing.
Role in formula: leavening
Original: Leavening (Calcium Phosphate And Baking Soda)
-
Is Potato Starch safe in this snack?
Medium
Potato Starch is used here as stabilizer. Potato starch is used to prevent caking, ensuring product quality but is a processed ingredient.
Role in formula: stabilizer
Original: Potato Starch (To Prevent Caking)
How we score
Our safety scores and ingredient breakdowns are based on regulatory and scientific sources. See Data sources & methodology and How Zerotox works for full details.
Product info
Product ID: 3219545
More from this brand: Sargento products in Zerotox
Similar products: snack in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: milk , wheat
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.