Is Hoisin Duck Bao Buns Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Itsu
Hoisin Duck Bao Buns is a food from Itsu. 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 Colour Plain Caramel.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
The composition includes duck breast and vegetables, but also contains several processed ingredients like hoisin sauce and sugar. This raises quality concerns due to synthetic additives.
Main concern
Hoisin sauce contains sugar and corn syrup, indicating high sugar content.
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 duck breast (17%) providing a source of meat protein.
- Includes vegetables (14%) like onion and carrot, contributing to flavor and texture.
- Hoisin sauce adds a unique flavor profile, enhancing the overall taste experience.
Concerns
- Hoisin sauce contains sugar and corn syrup, indicating high sugar content.
- Presence of color: plain caramel raises concerns about artificial coloring.
- Multiple processed ingredients like soya bean oil and cornflour may indicate lower quality.
Who should avoid this product?
This food may not be the best fit for:
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
Each ingredient below is explained in the context of this food so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Wheat Flour safe in this food?
Medium
Wheat Flour is used here as base. Wheat flour serves as the primary ingredient for the bao buns, providing structure. However, it is a refined grain, which may raise concerns about nutritional value.
Role in formula: base
Original: Wheat flour
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Is Duck Breast safe in this food?
Good
Duck Breast is used here as base. Duck breast (17%) is a source of meat protein, contributing to the product's overall flavor and richness. It is minimally processed, indicating better quality.
Role in formula: base
Original: duck breast (17%)
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Is Vegetables safe in this food?
Good
Vegetables is used here as base. Vegetables (14%) like onion and carrot add nutritional value and flavor. Their presence supports a more balanced composition.
Role in formula: base
Original: vegetables (14%) (onion, Chinese leaf cabbage, carrot, shallot)
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Is Sugar safe in this food?
Medium
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is added for sweetness, but its presence raises concerns about excessive sugar content in the product.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugar
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Is Hoisin Sauce safe in this food?
Medium
Hoisin Sauce is used here as flavor. Hoisin sauce (6%) adds flavor complexity but contains sugar and corn syrup, indicating a processed nature that may affect quality.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: hoisin sauce (6%) (water, sugar, soya beans, wheat flour, sesame oil, salt, garlic powder, ginger, tapioca starch, rice, mixed spices, corn syrup, red onion, alcohol, soya bean oil, cornflour)
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Is Cornflour safe in this food?
Medium
Cornflour is used here as thickener. Cornflour is used as a thickening agent, but it is a processed ingredient that may not contribute positively to the overall quality.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: cornflour
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Is Soya Bean Oil safe in this food?
Medium
Soya Bean Oil is used here as emulsifier. Soya bean oil is used for texture and moisture but is a refined oil, raising concerns about its health implications.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: soya bean oil
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Is Sesame Oil safe in this food?
Good
Sesame Oil is used here as flavor. Sesame oil adds flavor and richness to the buns, being a natural oil that is minimally processed.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: sesame oil
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Is Yeast safe in this food?
Good
Yeast is used here as leavening agent. Yeast is a natural leavening agent that helps the buns rise, contributing to their texture without raising significant quality concerns.
Role in formula: leavening agent
Original: yeast
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Is Raising Agents safe in this food?
Medium
Raising Agents is used here as leavening agent. Raising agents like sodium carbonates and diphosphates are included to aid in leavening but are synthetic and may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: leavening agent
Original: raising agents: sodium carbonates, diphosphates
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Is Salt safe in this food?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt is used for flavor enhancement and is a common ingredient in many food products, posing no significant quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
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Is Colour Plain Caramel safe in this food?
Bad
Colour Plain Caramel is used here as colorant. Plain caramel is an artificial colorant that raises concerns about synthetic additives in the product, indicating a processed nature.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: colour: plain caramel
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: 3962919
More from this brand: Itsu products in Zerotox
Similar products: food 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.