Is Gummi Worms Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Kroger
Gummi Worms is a dessert from Kroger. 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 Corn Syrup, Sugar, Natural And Artificial Flavors.
30 / 100
Why score is 30
The composition includes several synthetic additives such as artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1) and sweeteners like corn syrup and sugar. These raise significant quality and safety concerns.
Main concern
High levels of corn syrup and sugar indicate a high sugar content, raising 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 gelatin, which provides texture and is a common ingredient in gummy candies.
- Includes pectin, a natural thickener that can enhance the product's consistency.
Concerns
- High levels of corn syrup and sugar indicate a high sugar content, raising health concerns.
- Presence of multiple artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1) suggests a heavily processed product.
- Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that can cause digestive issues in some individuals.
- Citric acid and malic acid are synthetic acids that may raise concerns about acidity and processing.
Who should avoid this product?
This dessert may not be the best fit for:
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
Each ingredient below is explained in the context of this dessert so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Corn Syrup safe in this dessert?
Bad
Corn Syrup is used here as sweetener. Corn syrup is a highly processed sweetener that contributes to high sugar content and raises health concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: CORN SYRUP
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Is Sugar safe in this dessert?
Bad
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is a refined sweetener that adds to the high sugar content, raising concerns about excessive sugar intake.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: SUGAR
-
Is Gelatin safe in this dessert?
Good
Gelatin is used here as base. Gelatin is a natural ingredient derived from animal collagen, providing texture and stability to the gummy worms.
Role in formula: base
Original: GELATIN
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Is Citric Acid safe in this dessert?
Medium
Citric Acid is used here as acidulant. Citric acid is used to add tartness and preserve freshness, but it is a synthetic ingredient that raises processing concerns.
Role in formula: acidulant
Original: CITRIC ACID
-
Is Pectin safe in this dessert?
Good
Pectin is used here as stabilizer. Pectin is a natural thickening agent derived from fruits, contributing to the texture and stability of the product.
Role in formula: stabilizer
Original: PECTIN
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Is Sorbitol safe in this dessert?
Medium
Sorbitol is used here as sweetener. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener that can cause digestive discomfort in some individuals.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: SORBITOL
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Is Natural And Artificial Flavors safe in this dessert?
Bad
Natural And Artificial Flavors is used here as flavor. These flavors can be synthetic and may raise concerns about the quality and safety of the flavoring agents used.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS
Read the full ingredient profile for Natural And Artificial Flavors
-
Is Sodium Citrate safe in this dessert?
Medium
Sodium Citrate is used here as buffer. Sodium citrate is used to regulate acidity but is a synthetic ingredient that raises processing concerns.
Role in formula: buffer
Original: SODIUM CITRATE
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Is Malic Acid safe in this dessert?
Medium
Malic Acid is used here as acidulant. Malic acid is a synthetic acid that adds tartness but raises concerns about the level of processing in the product.
Role in formula: acidulant
Original: MALIC ACID
-
Is Carnauba Wax safe in this dessert?
Medium
Carnauba Wax is used here as coating agent. Carnauba wax is used for coating to provide shine but is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: coating agent
Original: CARNAUBA WAX
-
Is Red 40 safe in this dessert?
Bad
Red 40 is used here as colorant. Red 40 is an artificial colorant that raises safety concerns due to potential allergic reactions and health implications.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: RED 40
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Is Yellow 6 safe in this dessert?
Bad
Yellow 6 is used here as colorant. Yellow 6 is an artificial colorant associated with allergic reactions and other health concerns.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: YELLOW 6
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Is Yellow 5 safe in this dessert?
Bad
Yellow 5 is used here as colorant. Yellow 5 is an artificial colorant that may cause allergic reactions and raises safety concerns.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: YELLOW 5
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Is Blue 1 safe in this dessert?
Bad
Blue 1 is used here as colorant. Blue 1 is an artificial colorant linked to potential health risks and allergic reactions.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: BLUE 1
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: 3184313
More from this brand: Kroger products in Zerotox
Similar products: dessert in Zerotox database
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.