Is Hershey's Selection 4 Flavors 325g Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Hershey's
Hershey's Selection 4 Flavors 325g is a dessert from Hershey's. 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 Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Artificial Flavor Vanillin.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
The product contains dark chocolate with sugar and cocoa components, but also includes artificial flavoring and emulsifiers. These additives raise concerns about quality and processing.
Main concern
Contains artificial flavor (vanillin), which raises concerns about synthetic additives in the product.
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 cocoa mass and cocoa butter, which are key components of dark chocolate, contributing to its rich flavor.
- Includes skimmed milk powder and milk fat, providing a creamy texture that enhances the chocolate experience.
Concerns
- Contains artificial flavor (vanillin), which raises concerns about synthetic additives in the product.
- Emulsifiers like soya lecithin and polyglycerol polyricinoleate indicate a processed composition, which may affect quality.
Who should avoid this product?
This dessert 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 dessert so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Sugar safe in this dessert?
Medium
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is used to sweeten the dark chocolate, but its refined nature raises concerns about excessive sweetness.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: SUGAR
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Is Cocoa Mass safe in this dessert?
Good
Cocoa Mass is used here as base. Cocoa mass is a primary ingredient in dark chocolate, providing rich flavor and beneficial compounds.
Role in formula: base
Original: COCOA MASS
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Is Cocoa Butter safe in this dessert?
Good
Cocoa Butter is used here as base. Cocoa butter contributes to the smooth texture of chocolate and is a natural fat derived from cocoa beans.
Role in formula: base
Original: COCOA BUTTER
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Is Skimmed Milk Powder safe in this dessert?
Medium
Skimmed Milk Powder is used here as base. Skimmed milk powder adds creaminess but is a processed dairy ingredient, which may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: SKIMMED MILK POWDER (COW'S MILK)
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Is Milk Fat safe in this dessert?
Medium
Milk Fat is used here as base. Milk fat enhances the mouthfeel of chocolate but is derived from dairy, which may not suit all dietary preferences.
Role in formula: base
Original: MILK FAT (COW'S MILK)
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Is Cocoa Powder Processed With Alkali safe in this dessert?
Medium
Cocoa Powder Processed With Alkali is used here as base. This ingredient is used for color and flavor but the processing may reduce some beneficial properties of cocoa.
Role in formula: base
Original: COCOA POWDER PROCESSED WITH ALKALI
Read the full ingredient profile for Cocoa Powder Processed With Alkali
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Is Soya Lecithin safe in this dessert?
Medium
Soya Lecithin is used here as emulsifier. Soya lecithin is used to stabilize the chocolate mixture but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: EMULSIFIERS (SOYA LECITHIN (E322))
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Is Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate safe in this dessert?
Bad
Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate is used here as emulsifier. This synthetic emulsifier is used to improve texture but raises concerns about the use of artificial additives.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: POLYGLYCEROL POLYRICINOLEATE FROM CASTOR BEAN OIL (E476)
Read the full ingredient profile for Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate
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Is Artificial Flavor Vanillin safe in this dessert?
Bad
Artificial Flavor Vanillin is used here as flavor. Vanillin is a synthetic flavoring agent that may not provide the same quality as natural vanilla, raising quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: ARTIFICIAL FLAVOUR (VANILLIN)
Read the full ingredient profile for Artificial Flavor Vanillin
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: 4042109
More from this brand: Hershey's products in Zerotox
Similar products: dessert in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: milk , soya
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.