Is Full Fat Cheddar Cheese Safe? Ingredient Analysis
First Choice
Full Fat Cheddar Cheese is a dairy from First Choice. It has a Zerotox safety score of 60/100, which means it looks generally acceptable but still includes some ingredients worth reviewing.
The main ingredients worth reviewing are Sodium Nitrate, Annatto.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
This cheddar cheese contains sodium nitrate (E251) as a preservative and annatto (E160b) as a colorant. These additives raise concerns about synthetic ingredients and processing.
Main concern
Sodium nitrate (E251) is a synthetic preservative that raises quality 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 cheese culture, which is beneficial for flavor development and texture.
- Non-animal rennet is used, making it suitable for vegetarians.
Concerns
- Sodium nitrate (E251) is a synthetic preservative that raises quality concerns.
- Annatto (E160b) is an artificial colorant that may indicate processing.
Who should avoid this product?
This dairy 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 dairy so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Pasteurised Cow S Milk safe in this dairy?
Good
Pasteurised Cow S Milk is used here as base. Pasteurised cow's milk serves as the primary ingredient, providing essential nutrients and a creamy texture.
Role in formula: base
Original: Pasteurised Cow's Milk
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Is Salt safe in this dairy?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor and acts as a preservative, contributing to the overall taste profile of the cheese.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: Salt
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Is Sodium Nitrate safe in this dairy?
Bad
Sodium Nitrate is used here as preservative. Sodium nitrate (E251) is a synthetic preservative used to inhibit spoilage, but it raises concerns about synthetic additives in food.
Role in formula: preservative
Original: Preservative (Sodium Nitrate E251)
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Is Calcium Chloride safe in this dairy?
Medium
Calcium Chloride is used here as stabilizer. Calcium chloride (E509) is used to improve texture and firmness in cheese, but it is a processed ingredient with moderate concerns.
Role in formula: stabilizer
Original: Calcium Chloride (E509)
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Is Non Animal Rennet safe in this dairy?
Good
Non Animal Rennet is used here as base. Non-animal rennet is a vegetarian-friendly coagulant that aids in cheese formation without animal-derived ingredients.
Role in formula: base
Original: Non-animal Rennet
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Is Cheese Culture safe in this dairy?
Good
Cheese Culture is used here as natural_extract. Cheese culture is essential for fermentation, contributing to flavor and texture development in the cheese.
Role in formula: natural_extract
Original: Cheese Culture
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Is Annatto safe in this dairy?
Bad
Annatto is used here as colorant. Annatto (E160b) is an artificial colorant used for visual appeal, indicating a level of processing that raises quality concerns.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: Colourant (Annatto E160b)
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: 4022539
More from this brand: First Choice products in Zerotox
Similar products: dairy in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: milk
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.