Is Gummy Hearts Safe? Ingredient Analysis

Hilco Corporation

Gummy Hearts is a dessert from Hilco Corporation. 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 Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Artificial Flavor.

30 / 100

Low quality

Why score is 30

The composition includes glucose syrup and sugar as primary sweeteners, along with artificial flavor and color. These synthetic additives raise significant quality concerns.

Main concern

High levels of glucose syrup and sugar indicate excessive sweetness, 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 pectin, a natural gelling agent that can provide a better texture.
  • Citric acid and malic acid contribute to a tart flavor profile, enhancing taste.

Concerns

  • High levels of glucose syrup and sugar indicate excessive sweetness, raising health concerns.
  • Artificial flavor and color (FD&C Red No. 40) are synthetic additives that may pose quality issues.
  • Palm oil is present, which raises sustainability concerns regarding its sourcing.

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.

  • Is Glucose Syrup safe in this dessert?

    Bad

    Glucose Syrup is used here as sweetener. Glucose syrup is a highly processed sweetener derived from starch, contributing to high sugar content and potential health risks.

    Role in formula: sweetener

    Original: glucose syrup

    Read the full ingredient profile for Glucose Syrup

  • Is Sugar safe in this dessert?

    Bad

    Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is a refined sweetener that adds calories without nutritional benefits, raising concerns about excessive consumption.

    Role in formula: sweetener

    Original: sugar

    Read the full ingredient profile for Sugar

  • Is Water safe in this dessert?

    Good

    Water is used here as base. Water serves as a solvent in this product, essential for dissolving other ingredients and creating the desired texture.

    Role in formula: base

    Original: water

    Read the full ingredient profile for Water

  • Is Gelatin safe in this dessert?

    Medium

    Gelatin is used here as base. Gelatin is a protein derived from animal sources, used for its gelling properties, but raises concerns for vegetarians and vegans.

    Role in formula: base

    Original: gelatin

    Read the full ingredient profile for Gelatin

  • Is Citric Acid safe in this dessert?

    Good

    Citric Acid is used here as acidulant. Citric acid is a natural preservative and flavor enhancer, providing tartness and helping to balance sweetness in the product.

    Role in formula: acidulant

    Original: citric acid

    Read the full ingredient profile for 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 gummy texture without synthetic additives.

    Role in formula: stabilizer

    Original: pectin

    Read the full ingredient profile for Pectin

  • Is Malic Acid safe in this dessert?

    Good

    Malic Acid is used here as acidulant. Malic acid is a natural acid that enhances flavor and provides tartness, improving the overall taste profile of the gummies.

    Role in formula: acidulant

    Original: malic acid

    Read the full ingredient profile for Malic Acid

  • Is Artificial Flavor safe in this dessert?

    Bad

    Artificial Flavor is used here as flavor. Artificial flavor is a synthetic additive used to enhance taste, raising concerns about the quality and safety of the flavoring.

    Role in formula: flavor

    Original: artificial flavor

    Read the full ingredient profile for Artificial Flavor

  • Is Sodium Citrate safe in this dessert?

    Medium

    Sodium Citrate is used here as buffer. Sodium citrate is used to regulate acidity and enhance flavor, but it is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.

    Role in formula: buffer

    Original: sodium citrate

    Read the full ingredient profile for Sodium Citrate

  • Is Palm Oil safe in this dessert?

    Bad

    Palm Oil is used here as base. Palm oil is a highly processed fat that raises sustainability concerns due to its environmental impact and potential health issues.

    Role in formula: base

    Original: palm oil

    Read the full ingredient profile for Palm Oil

  • Is Artificial Color Fd C Red No 40 safe in this dessert?

    Bad

    Artificial Color Fd C Red No 40 is used here as colorant. FD&C Red No. 40 is a synthetic dye used for coloring, which may pose health risks and raises concerns about artificial additives.

    Role in formula: colorant

    Original: artificial color (fd&c red no. 40)

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: 3327595

More from this brand: Hilco Corporation 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.

Frequently asked questions

This product is flagged for: High levels of glucose syrup and sugar indicate excessive sweetness, raising health concerns.; Artificial flavor and color (FD&C Red No. 40) are synthetic additives that may pose quality issues.; Palm oil is present, which raises sustainability concerns regarding its sourcing.. See the Concerns and Ingredients sections above.
This depends on the ingredient profile. People with sensitive skin or scalp, users avoiding fragrance, sulfates or animal-derived ingredients, and cautious shoppers should review the breakdown above before buying. Scores are informational only and do not constitute professional advice; always read the label and consult a qualified professional.
Our analysis indicates animal-derived ingredients may be present in this product. See the Ingredients section and the label for details.
We do not detect parabens in this product's listed ingredients. Always check the label as formulations change.
Based on our data we do not detect fragrance in this product's listed ingredients. Formulations can change; check the label.
Hilco Corporation — Gummy Hearts has a Zerotox safety score of 30 / 100. Check the ingredient breakdown above. More Hilco Corporation products. Scores are informational only and do not constitute professional advice; always read the label and consult a qualified professional.
This product scores 30 / 100 mainly because of: High levels of glucose syrup and sugar indicate excessive sweetness, raising health concerns.; Artificial flavor and color (FD&C Red No. 40) are synthetic additives that may pose quality issues.. See the Concerns and Ingredients sections above. Scores are informational only and do not constitute professional advice; always read the label and consult a qualified professional.
Main concerns for this product: High levels of glucose syrup and sugar indicate excessive sweetness, raising health concerns.; Artificial flavor and color (FD&C Red No. 40) are synthetic additives that may pose quality issues.. See the full list above.
Browse Hilco Corporation products on Zerotox with ingredient analysis and safety scores.
This product includes positive or neutral ingredients such as: water, citric acid, pectin. See the Ingredients section above.
The composition includes glucose syrup and sugar as primary sweeteners, along with artificial flavor and color. These synthetic additives raise significant quality concerns. Scores are informational only and do not constitute professional advice; always read the label and consult a qualified professional.
Our analysis notes: Contains pectin, a natural gelling agent that can provide a better texture.; Citric acid and malic acid contribute to a tart flavor profile, enhancing taste.. See the Pros section above.