Is Herr's Cheese Curls Jalapeno Poppers Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Herr's
Herr's Cheese Curls Jalapeno Poppers is a snack from Herr's. It has a Zerotox safety score of 55/100, which means it shows multiple flagged ingredients that may matter for sensitive users.
The main ingredients worth reviewing are Seasoning.
55 / 100
Why score is 55
The composition includes several processed ingredients like maltodextrin and monosodium glutamate, raising concerns about quality. The presence of artificial flavors and preservatives further indicates a highly processed product.
Main concern
Maltodextrin is a processed carbohydrate that may raise 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 blend with cheddar, providing some dairy flavor.
- Includes spices like onion and garlic powder, enhancing taste.
- Natural color from oleoresin paprika adds visual appeal.
- Green bell pepper powder contributes to flavor complexity.
Concerns
- Maltodextrin is a processed carbohydrate that may raise quality concerns.
- Monosodium glutamate is an artificial flavor enhancer linked to health concerns.
- Presence of artificial flavors raises questions about ingredient transparency.
- Sodium phosphate and disodium inosinate are synthetic additives with potential risks.
Who should avoid this product?
This snack 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 snack so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Corn Meal safe in this snack?
Good
Corn Meal is used here as base. Corn meal serves as the primary ingredient, providing a base for texture and flavor. It's a whole grain, contributing to the product's structure.
Role in formula: base
Original: corn meal
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Is Vegetable Oil safe in this snack?
Medium
Vegetable Oil is used here as base. Vegetable oil is used for frying, contributing to texture and mouthfeel. However, the inclusion of palm oil raises sustainability concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: corn, cottonseed, palm, sunflower)
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Is Cheese Blend safe in this snack?
Medium
Cheese Blend is used here as flavor. The cheese blend includes whey and cheddar cheese, providing flavor and richness. However, it also contains additives like sodium phosphate, which may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: cheese blend (whey, sunflower oil. maltodextrin, cheddar cheese [milk, cheese culture, salt. enzymes], salt, sodium phosphate, citric acid, butter [cream, salt], lactic acid, oleoresin paprika [color], natural flavor, enzymes)
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Is Seasoning safe in this snack?
Bad
Seasoning is used here as flavor. The seasoning mix contains monosodium glutamate and artificial flavors, which are synthetic additives that may pose health risks and indicate a highly processed product.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: seasoning (maltodextrin, whey, sugar, dextrose, salt, spices, onion powder, garlic powder, monosodium glutamate, green bell pepper powder, torula yeast, modified tapioca starch, sodium diacetate, chipotle pepper, dried parsley, citric acid, sunflower oil, modified corn starch, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, spice extracts, paprika extract [color], natural and artificial flavors)
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Is Salt safe in this snack?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor and acts as a preservative. While necessary for taste, excessive salt intake can be a health concern.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
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: 3281446
More from this brand: Herr's products in Zerotox
Similar products: snack 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.