Is Lean Gourmet Buffalo-Style Chicken Snackers Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Bellisio Foods
Lean Gourmet Buffalo-Style Chicken Snackers is a snack from Bellisio Foods. 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 Modified Food Starch, Sugar.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
The ingredient composition includes enriched wheat flour and cooked white chicken, but also contains several processed ingredients like modified food starch and sodium phosphate, raising quality concerns.
Main concern
Modified food starch is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns about quality.
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 cooked white chicken, providing a source of lean protein.
- Includes cayenne pepper sauce, which adds flavor and potential health benefits.
- Enriched wheat flour contributes essential vitamins like niacin and folic acid.
- Reduced fat mozzarella cheese offers a lower fat option compared to regular cheese.
Concerns
- Modified food starch is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns about quality.
- Sodium phosphate is a synthetic additive that can indicate a highly processed product.
- Presence of sugar may contribute to unnecessary sweetness in the snack.
- Blue cheese powder, while flavorful, adds complexity and potential allergens.
Who should avoid this product?
This snack may not be the best fit for:
- users trying to avoid sulfates
- 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.
-
Is Enriched Wheat Flour safe in this snack?
Medium
Enriched Wheat Flour is used here as base. Enriched wheat flour serves as the primary ingredient, providing structure and essential nutrients. However, its refined nature raises concerns about fiber content.
Role in formula: base
Original: Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
-
Is Water safe in this snack?
Good
Water is used here as base. Water is a fundamental ingredient that aids in the hydration and texture of the snack, posing no quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: water
-
Is Cooked White Chicken safe in this snack?
Good
Cooked White Chicken is used here as base. Cooked white chicken provides a lean protein source, contributing to the nutritional value of the snack without raising safety concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: cooked white chicken (chicken breast with rib meat, water, soy protein isolate, 2% or less of salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, maltodextrin and natural flavor)
-
Is Cayenne Pepper Sauce safe in this snack?
Good
Cayenne Pepper Sauce is used here as flavor. Cayenne pepper sauce adds flavor and potential health benefits, enhancing the overall taste profile of the snack.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: cayenne pepper sauce (cayenne red peppers, vinegar, water, salt, garlic powder)
-
Is Concentrated Crushed Tomatoes safe in this snack?
Good
Concentrated Crushed Tomatoes is used here as base. Concentrated crushed tomatoes contribute flavor and moisture, enhancing the overall taste without raising safety concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: concentrated crushed tomatoes
Read the full ingredient profile for Concentrated Crushed Tomatoes
-
Is Soybean Oil safe in this snack?
Medium
Soybean Oil is used here as base. Soybean oil is a common cooking oil that provides fat content but may raise concerns due to its processed nature.
Role in formula: base
Original: soybean oil
-
Is Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese safe in this snack?
Medium
Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese is used here as base. Reduced fat mozzarella cheese offers a lower fat option, but its modified corn starch content raises quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: reduced fat mozzarella cheese (pasteurized part skim milk, nonfat milk, cheese cultures, modified corn starch*, salt, vitamin a palmitate, and enzymes. *ingredient not in regular mozzarella cheese)
Read the full ingredient profile for Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese
-
Is Onions safe in this snack?
Good
Onions is used here as flavor. Onions provide flavor and aroma, enhancing the overall taste profile of the snack without raising safety concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: onions
-
Is Blue Cheese Powder safe in this snack?
Medium
Blue Cheese Powder is used here as flavor. Blue cheese powder adds a distinct flavor but may pose allergen concerns for sensitive individuals.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: less than 2% of blue cheese powder (blue cheese [pasteurized milk, salt, cheese culture, enzymes])
-
Is Distilled White Vinegar safe in this snack?
Good
Distilled White Vinegar is used here as flavor. Distilled white vinegar adds acidity and flavor, enhancing the overall taste without raising safety concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: distilled white vinegar
Read the full ingredient profile for Distilled White Vinegar
-
Is Modified Food Starch safe in this snack?
Bad
Modified Food Starch is used here as thickener. Modified food starch is a processed thickening agent that raises concerns about the overall quality of the product.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: modified food starch
-
Is Soy Flour safe in this snack?
Medium
Soy Flour is used here as base. Soy flour adds protein and texture but may raise concerns due to its processed nature.
Role in formula: base
Original: soy flour
-
Is Salt safe in this snack?
Medium
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor but excessive use can raise health concerns, particularly for sodium intake.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
-
Is Sugar safe in this snack?
Bad
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is added for sweetness, which may not be necessary and raises concerns about added sugars in processed foods.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugar
-
Is Sweet Dairy Whey safe in this snack?
Medium
Sweet Dairy Whey is used here as base. Sweet dairy whey adds flavor and texture but is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: sweet dairy whey
-
Is Soy Lecithin safe in this snack?
Medium
Soy Lecithin is used here as emulsifier. Soy lecithin is used as an emulsifier to improve texture but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: soy lecithin
-
Is Spice safe in this snack?
Good
Spice is used here as flavor. Spices enhance flavor and aroma, contributing positively to the overall taste profile without safety concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: spice
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: 3408505
More from this brand: Bellisio Foods products in Zerotox
Similar products: snack 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.