Is Ben & Jerry's Spectacu-love Ice Cream 465ml Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Ben & Jerry's
This page reviews Ben & Jerry's Spectacu-love Ice Cream 465ml by Ben & Jerry's as a dessert. Its current score is 60/100, suggesting that it looks generally acceptable but still includes some ingredients worth reviewing.
If you want the short version, start with these flagged ingredients: Stabilizers Guar Gum Carrageenan.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
The composition includes several processed ingredients like sugar and stabilizers, which raise quality concerns. Ingredients like carrageenan and lecithins indicate a reliance on additives, impacting overall safety and quality perception.
Main concern
Contains carrageenan, a synthetic thickener that raises safety concerns due to potential digestive issues.
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
- Contains Fairtrade sugar, indicating ethical sourcing practices.
- Includes natural ingredients like cinnamon and shea fat, which can enhance flavor.
- Uses milk and cream, providing a traditional ice cream texture.
- Incorporates guar gum, a natural thickener that can improve consistency.
Concerns
- Contains carrageenan, a synthetic thickener that raises safety concerns due to potential digestive issues.
- Includes lecithins from soy, which may pose allergen risks for sensitive individuals.
- High sugar content from multiple sources, which can be a concern for overall health.
- Presence of stabilizers indicates a reliance on processed ingredients, affecting quality perception.
Who should avoid this product?
You may want to be cautious with this product if you are:
- people with sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivity
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
The ingredient notes below are written to explain what each ingredient does in this dessert and why it matters.
-
Is Cream safe in this dessert?
Medium
Cream is used here as base. Cream provides a rich texture and flavor in this ice cream, but its high fat content raises concerns about overall health impact.
Role in formula: base
Original: CRÈME
-
Is Water safe in this dessert?
Good
Water is used here as base. Water is a fundamental ingredient that helps achieve the desired consistency in ice cream without adding calories.
Role in formula: base
Original: eau
-
Is Skimmed Milk Concentrate safe in this dessert?
Medium
Skimmed Milk Concentrate is used here as base. Skimmed milk concentrate adds creaminess while reducing fat content, but processing may diminish some nutritional value.
Role in formula: base
Original: LAIT concentré écrémé
Read the full ingredient profile for Skimmed Milk Concentrate
-
Is Sugar safe in this dessert?
Medium
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar enhances sweetness and flavor but contributes to high calorie content and potential health concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sucre
-
Is Wheat Flour safe in this dessert?
Medium
Wheat Flour is used here as base. Wheat flour is used for texture but may pose gluten concerns for sensitive individuals.
Role in formula: base
Original: farine de BLÉ
-
Is Rapeseed Oil safe in this dessert?
Medium
Rapeseed Oil is used here as emulsifier. Rapeseed oil helps improve texture and mouthfeel but is a processed oil that may raise health concerns.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: huile de colza
-
Is Coconut Oil safe in this dessert?
Medium
Coconut Oil is used here as emulsifier. Coconut oil adds creaminess and flavor but is high in saturated fat, raising health concerns.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: huile de coco
-
Is Egg Yolk safe in this dessert?
Medium
Egg Yolk is used here as emulsifier. Egg yolk acts as a natural emulsifier, enhancing texture but may pose allergen risks.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: jaune d'ŒUF
-
Is Corn Starch safe in this dessert?
Medium
Corn Starch is used here as thickener. Corn starch is used to improve texture but is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: amidon de maïs
-
Is Shea Fat safe in this dessert?
Medium
Shea Fat is used here as base. Shea fat contributes to creaminess but is a less common ingredient in ice cream, raising questions about sourcing.
Role in formula: base
Original: graisse de karité
-
Is Caramelized Sugar safe in this dessert?
Medium
Caramelized Sugar is used here as sweetener. Caramelized sugar adds flavor and color but increases sugar content, raising health concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sucre caramélisé
-
Is Cinnamon safe in this dessert?
Good
Cinnamon is used here as flavor. Cinnamon adds natural flavor and aroma, enhancing the overall sensory experience of the ice cream.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: cannelle
-
Is Stabilizers Guar Gum Carrageenan safe in this dessert?
Bad
Stabilizers Guar Gum Carrageenan is used here as stabilizer. Guar gum and carrageenan are synthetic stabilizers that can raise concerns about digestive health and overall ingredient quality.
Role in formula: stabilizer
Original: stabilisants (gomme guar, carraghénanes)
-
Is Salt safe in this dessert?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor and balances sweetness, but excessive amounts can raise health concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: sel
-
Is Soy Lecithins safe in this dessert?
Medium
Soy Lecithins is used here as emulsifier. Soy lecithins help blend ingredients but may pose allergen risks for those sensitive to soy.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: émulsifiant (lécithines de SOJA)
-
Is Baking Powder Sodium Bicarbonate safe in this dessert?
Medium
Baking Powder Sodium Bicarbonate is used here as leavening agent. Sodium bicarbonate is used for leavening but is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: leavening agent
Original: poudre à lever (carbonate acide de sodium)
Read the full ingredient profile for Baking Powder Sodium Bicarbonate
-
Is Skimmed Milk Powder safe in this dessert?
Medium
Skimmed Milk Powder is used here as base. Skimmed milk powder adds creaminess but is processed, which may reduce some nutritional benefits.
Role in formula: base
Original: LAIT en poudre écrémé
-
Is Cane Molasses safe in this dessert?
Medium
Cane Molasses is used here as sweetener. Cane molasses adds sweetness and flavor but contributes to overall sugar content, raising health concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: mélasse de canne à sucre
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: 4206034
More from this brand: Ben & Jerry's products in Zerotox
Similar products: dessert in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: soy , egg , milk , wheat
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.