Is Smartfood Captin Crunch Berries Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Smartfood
Smartfood Captin Crunch Berries is a snack from Smartfood. It has a Zerotox safety score of 45/100, which means it shows multiple flagged ingredients that may matter for sensitive users.
The main ingredients worth reviewing are Sugar, Brown Sugar, Dextrose.
45 / 100
Why score is 45
The composition includes several synthetic additives like BHT and artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1), raising significant quality concerns. The presence of palm oil and sugar further contributes to the low rating.
Main concern
BHT is a synthetic preservative that raises safety concerns due to potential health risks.
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 popcorn, a whole grain, which can be a source of fiber.
- Includes cream cheese and yogurt, providing some dairy content.
- Oat flour adds nutritional value and can enhance texture.
- Reduced iron is included, which can help with iron intake.
Concerns
- BHT is a synthetic preservative that raises safety concerns due to potential health risks.
- Artificial colors like Red 40 and Yellow 5 are linked to various health issues.
- High sugar content from multiple sources can contribute to unhealthy dietary habits.
- Palm oil presence raises environmental concerns related to sustainability.
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 Popcorn safe in this snack?
Good
Popcorn is used here as base. Popcorn is a whole grain that provides fiber and can be a healthier snack option when minimally processed.
Role in formula: base
Original: popcorn
-
Is Vegetable Oil safe in this snack?
Medium
Vegetable Oil is used here as base. Vegetable oil is used for cooking and flavor but can be highly processed, raising concerns about quality.
Role in formula: base
Original: vegetable oil (corn, canola, and/or sunflower oil)
-
Is Sugar safe in this snack?
Bad
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is added for sweetness but contributes to high caloric content and potential health risks when consumed in excess.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugar
-
Is Corn Flour Maltodextrin safe in this snack?
Medium
Corn Flour Maltodextrin is used here as thickener. Maltodextrin is a processed carbohydrate that can affect blood sugar levels and is often used as a thickening agent.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: corn flour maltodextrin (made from corn)
-
Is Oat Flour safe in this snack?
Good
Oat Flour is used here as base. Oat flour is a whole grain that adds nutritional value and can enhance the texture of the product.
Role in formula: base
Original: oat flour
-
Is Brown Sugar safe in this snack?
Bad
Brown Sugar is used here as sweetener. Brown sugar is a form of sugar that adds sweetness but contributes to high sugar content and potential health risks.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: brown sugar
-
Is Dextrose safe in this snack?
Bad
Dextrose is used here as sweetener. Dextrose is a simple sugar that can spike blood sugar levels and is often used in processed foods.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: dextrose
-
Is Salt safe in this snack?
Medium
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor but excessive consumption can lead to health issues such as hypertension.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
-
Is Palm Oil safe in this snack?
Bad
Palm Oil is used here as base. Palm oil is often criticized for its environmental impact and health concerns related to saturated fat content.
Role in formula: base
Original: palm oil and/or coconut oil
-
Is Cream Cheese safe in this snack?
Medium
Cream Cheese is used here as base. Cream cheese adds richness and flavor but is high in fat and calories, which may not be suitable for all diets.
Role in formula: base
Original: cream cheese (milk and cream, cheese cultures, salt)
-
Is Yogurt safe in this snack?
Good
Yogurt is used here as base. Yogurt provides probiotics and can be beneficial for digestive health, though it may contain added sugars.
Role in formula: base
Original: yogurt (cultured skim milk, sodium citrate)
-
Is Sodium Citrate safe in this snack?
Medium
Sodium Citrate is used here as emulsifier. Sodium citrate is used to stabilize and emulsify products but is a processed ingredient with mixed safety assessments.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: sodium citrate
-
Is Skim Milk safe in this snack?
Good
Skim Milk is used here as base. Skim milk provides calcium and protein while being lower in fat compared to whole milk.
Role in formula: base
Original: skim milk
-
Is Natural Artificial Flavors safe in this snack?
Bad
Natural Artificial Flavors is used here as flavor. These flavors can be synthetic and may raise concerns about the quality and safety of the product.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: natural & artificial flavors
Read the full ingredient profile for Natural Artificial Flavors
-
Is Cream safe in this snack?
Medium
Cream is used here as base. Cream adds richness and flavor but is high in fat, which may not be suitable for all dietary needs.
Role in formula: base
Original: cream
-
Is Malic Acid safe in this snack?
Medium
Malic Acid is used here as acidulant. Malic acid is used to enhance flavor and acidity but is a synthetic ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: acidulant
Original: malic acid
-
Is Red 40 safe in this snack?
Bad
Red 40 is used here as colorant. Red 40 is an artificial color linked to various health concerns, including hyperactivity in children.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: red 40
-
Is Yellow 5 safe in this snack?
Bad
Yellow 5 is used here as colorant. Yellow 5 is an artificial color that has been associated with allergic reactions and other health issues.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: yellow 5
-
Is Reduced Iron safe in this snack?
Medium
Reduced Iron is used here as fortificant. Reduced iron is added to fortify the product but may not be necessary for all consumers.
Role in formula: fortificant
Original: reduced iron
-
Is Blue 1 safe in this snack?
Bad
Blue 1 is used here as colorant. Blue 1 is an artificial color that raises safety concerns due to potential health risks associated with synthetic additives.
Role in formula: colorant
Original: blue 1
-
Is Niacinamide safe in this snack?
Medium
Niacinamide is used here as fortificant. Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 added for fortification but may not be necessary for all consumers.
Role in formula: fortificant
Original: niacinamide
-
Is Bht safe in this snack?
Bad
Bht is used here as preservative. BHT is a synthetic preservative that raises safety concerns due to potential health risks associated with long-term consumption.
Role in formula: preservative
Original: bht (to preserve freshness)
-
Is Thiamine Mononitrate safe in this snack?
Medium
Thiamine Mononitrate is used here as fortificant. Thiamine mononitrate is added for fortification but may not be necessary for all consumers.
Role in formula: fortificant
Original: thiamine mononitrate
-
Is Pyridoxine Hydrochloride safe in this snack?
Medium
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride is used here as fortificant. Pyridoxine hydrochloride is a synthetic form of vitamin B6 used for fortification but may not be essential for all.
Role in formula: fortificant
Original: pyridoxine hydrochloride
Read the full ingredient profile for Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
-
Is Riboflavin safe in this snack?
Medium
Riboflavin is used here as fortificant. Riboflavin is added for fortification but may not be necessary for all consumers.
Role in formula: fortificant
Original: riboflavin
-
Is Folic Acid safe in this snack?
Medium
Folic Acid is used here as fortificant. Folic acid is included for fortification but may not be essential for all consumers.
Role in formula: fortificant
Original: folic acid
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: 2410244
More from this brand: Smartfood 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.