Is Dessert Pudding Cups Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Del Monte
Dessert Pudding Cups is a food from Del Monte. It has a Zerotox safety score of 30/100, which means it has several flagged ingredients and may not suit cautious buyers.
The main ingredients worth reviewing are Palm Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Yellow 6.
30 / 100
Why score is 30
The composition includes several synthetic additives such as sodium stearoyl lactylate and artificial colors like Yellow 6, raising significant quality concerns. The presence of palm oil and high fructose corn syrup further indicates a highly processed product.
Main concern
High fructose corn syrup is a synthetic sweetener linked to health concerns.
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 skim milk and nonfat dry milk, providing some dairy content.
- Includes honey, a natural sweetener, which may enhance flavor.
Concerns
- High fructose corn syrup is a synthetic sweetener linked to health concerns.
- Artificial colors like Yellow 6 and caramel color raise quality and safety issues.
- Palm oil is present, which is often associated with environmental concerns.
- Modified food starch is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns about additives.
Who should avoid this product?
This food 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 food so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Skim Milk safe in this food?
Good
Skim Milk is used here as base. Skim milk provides a source of dairy, contributing to the product's creaminess and flavor. It is a natural ingredient with nutritional benefits.
Role in formula: base
Original: skim milk
-
Is Water safe in this food?
Good
Water is used here as base. Water serves as a solvent in this product, essential for achieving the desired consistency and texture.
Role in formula: base
Original: water
-
Is Sugar safe in this food?
Medium
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is a common sweetener that enhances flavor but raises concerns due to its high caloric content and potential health impacts.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugar
-
Is Modified Food Starch safe in this food?
Medium
Modified Food Starch is used here as thickener. Modified food starch is used to improve texture and stability but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns about additives.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: modified food starch
-
Is Palm Oil safe in this food?
Bad
Palm Oil is used here as base. Palm oil is a highly processed fat associated with health and environmental concerns, including deforestation and habitat destruction.
Role in formula: base
Original: palm oil
-
Is Canola Oil safe in this food?
Medium
Canola Oil is used here as base. Canola oil is a common cooking oil that is often refined, raising concerns about processing and potential trans fats.
Role in formula: base
Original: canola oil
-
Is Whey safe in this food?
Good
Whey is used here as base. Whey is a byproduct of cheese production, providing protein and contributing to the product's texture.
Role in formula: base
Original: whey
-
Is Salt safe in this food?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor and is a common ingredient in many food products, contributing to overall taste.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
-
Is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate safe in this food?
Bad
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate is used here as emulsifier. Sodium stearoyl lactylate is a synthetic emulsifier that raises concerns about artificial additives in food products.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: sodium stearoyl lactylate
Read the full ingredient profile for Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
-
Is Yellow 6 safe in this food?
Bad
Yellow 6 is used here as colorant. Yellow 6 is an artificial colorant linked to potential health risks, raising concerns about its safety in food products.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: yellow 6
-
Is Sodium Phosphate safe in this food?
Medium
Sodium Phosphate is used here as buffer. Sodium phosphate is used to regulate acidity but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns about additives.
Role in formula: buffer
Original: sodium phosphate
-
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup safe in this food?
Bad
High Fructose Corn Syrup is used here as sweetener. High fructose corn syrup is a synthetic sweetener associated with various health concerns, including obesity and metabolic issues.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: high fructose corn syrup
Read the full ingredient profile for High Fructose Corn Syrup
-
Is Natural And Artificial Flavors safe in this food?
Bad
Natural And Artificial Flavors is used here as flavor. The inclusion of both natural and artificial flavors raises concerns about the quality and safety of flavoring agents used.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: natural and artificial flavors
Read the full ingredient profile for Natural And Artificial Flavors
-
Is Caramel Color safe in this food?
Bad
Caramel Color is used here as colorant. Caramel color is an artificial colorant that may contain potentially harmful compounds, raising safety concerns.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: caramel color
-
Is Pineapple safe in this food?
Good
Pineapple is used here as base. Pineapple adds natural flavor and sweetness, contributing positively to the overall composition.
Role in formula: base
Original: pineapple (Costa Rica)
-
Is Caramel Streusel safe in this food?
Medium
Caramel Streusel is used here as flavor. Caramel streusel adds flavor and texture but may contain processed ingredients that raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: caramel streusel
-
Is Enriched Flour safe in this food?
Medium
Enriched Flour is used here as base. Enriched flour is a processed ingredient that provides structure but raises concerns about the refinement process.
Role in formula: base
Original: enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
-
Is Dextrose safe in this food?
Medium
Dextrose is used here as sweetener. Dextrose is a simple sugar used for sweetness but raises concerns due to its high glycemic index.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: dextrose
-
Is Soybean Oil safe in this food?
Medium
Soybean Oil is used here as base. Soybean oil is a common cooking oil that is often refined, raising concerns about processing and potential trans fats.
Role in formula: base
Original: soybean oil
-
Is Whole Wheat Flour safe in this food?
Medium
Whole Wheat Flour is used here as base. Whole wheat flour provides fiber and nutrients but is still a processed ingredient that may raise concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: whole wheat flour
-
Is Cinnamon safe in this food?
Good
Cinnamon is used here as flavor. Cinnamon is a natural spice that adds flavor and has potential antioxidant properties, contributing positively to the product.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: cinnamon
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Is Nonfat Dry Milk safe in this food?
Good
Nonfat Dry Milk is used here as base. Nonfat dry milk provides dairy content and contributes to the creaminess of the pudding, enhancing its texture.
Role in formula: base
Original: nonfat dry milk
-
Is Honey safe in this food?
Good
Honey is used here as sweetener. Honey is a natural sweetener that adds flavor and may offer some health benefits compared to refined sugars.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: honey
-
Is Baking Soda safe in this food?
Medium
Baking Soda is used here as leavening agent. Baking soda is used as a leavening agent but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns about additives.
Role in formula: leavening agent
Original: baking soda
-
Is Natural Flavor safe in this food?
Bad
Natural Flavor is used here as flavor. Natural flavor can be derived from various sources, but its vague nature raises concerns about the quality and safety of flavoring agents.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: natural flavor
-
Is Whipped Topping safe in this food?
Medium
Whipped Topping is used here as base. Whipped topping adds creaminess and sweetness but contains hydrogenated oils, raising concerns about trans fats.
Role in formula: base
Original: whipped topping (water, hydrogenated vegetable oil [palm, palm kernel, coconut and/or cottonseed], corn syrup, cream [from milk], sugar, skim milk, contains less than 2% of the following: sodium caseinate [a milk derivative], dextrose, natural flavor, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, guar gum, xanthan gum, colored with turmeric and annatto extracts)
-
Is Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil safe in this food?
Bad
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil is used here as base. Hydrogenated vegetable oil is a processed fat that may contain trans fats, raising significant health concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: hydrogenated vegetable oil [palm, palm kernel, coconut and/or cottonseed]
Read the full ingredient profile for Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
-
Is Corn Syrup safe in this food?
Bad
Corn Syrup is used here as sweetener. Corn syrup is a sweetener that is highly processed and linked to various health issues, including obesity.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: corn syrup
-
Is Cream safe in this food?
Good
Cream is used here as base. Cream adds richness and flavor to the pudding, contributing positively to its overall texture.
Role in formula: base
Original: cream [from milk]
-
Is Sodium Caseinate safe in this food?
Bad
Sodium Caseinate is used here as emulsifier. Sodium caseinate is a milk derivative used as an emulsifier but raises concerns about synthetic additives.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: sodium caseinate [a milk derivative]
-
Is Polysorbate 60 safe in this food?
Bad
Polysorbate 60 is used here as emulsifier. Polysorbate 60 is a synthetic emulsifier that raises concerns about artificial additives in food products.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: polysorbate 60
-
Is Sorbitan Monostearate safe in this food?
Bad
Sorbitan Monostearate is used here as emulsifier. Sorbitan monostearate is a synthetic emulsifier that may raise concerns about the quality and safety of food products.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: sorbitan monostearate
-
Is Guar Gum safe in this food?
Medium
Guar Gum is used here as thickener. Guar gum is a natural thickener that improves texture but is still a processed ingredient that may raise concerns.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: guar gum
-
Is Xanthan Gum safe in this food?
Medium
Xanthan Gum is used here as thickener. Xanthan gum is a thickening agent that enhances texture but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: xanthan gum
-
Is Turmeric safe in this food?
Good
Turmeric is used here as colorant. Turmeric is a natural colorant that adds color and may offer some health benefits due to its antioxidant properties.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: colored with turmeric
-
Is Annatto Extracts safe in this food?
Good
Annatto Extracts is used here as colorant. Annatto extracts are natural colorants derived from seeds, providing a safer alternative to synthetic colorants.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: annatto extracts
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: 3407866
More from this brand: Del Monte products in Zerotox
Similar products: food 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.