Is Sweet Black Pepper Anytime Sauce Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Stubb's
Sweet Black Pepper Anytime Sauce is a sauce condiment from Stubb's. It has a Zerotox safety score of 60/100, which means it looks generally acceptable but still includes some ingredients worth reviewing.
The composition includes organic tamari sauce and natural flavors, but also contains brown sugar and xanthan gum, indicating a mix of good and processed ingredients that raise quality concerns.
60 / 100
Why score is 60
The composition includes organic tamari sauce and natural flavors, but also contains brown sugar and xanthan gum, indicating a mix of good and processed ingredients that raise quality concerns.
Main concern
Brown sugar and cane sugar are added, indicating a reliance on sweeteners that may raise concerns about excessive 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
- Organic tamari sauce provides a natural source of umami flavor, enhancing the overall taste profile.
- Natural smoke flavor adds depth to the sauce, contributing to its unique flavor without artificial additives.
Concerns
- Brown sugar and cane sugar are added, indicating a reliance on sweeteners that may raise concerns about excessive sugar content.
- Xanthan gum is a thickening agent that, while common, can be viewed as a processed ingredient, potentially lowering the overall quality.
Ingredients breakdown
Each ingredient below is explained in the context of this sauce condiment so the page answers more than a simple label list.
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Is Water safe in this sauce condiment?
Good
Water is used here as base. Water serves as the primary solvent in this sauce, providing the necessary liquid base for the other ingredients.
Role in formula: base
Original: Water
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Is Organic Tamari Sauce safe in this sauce condiment?
Good
Organic Tamari Sauce is used here as flavor. Organic tamari sauce, made from whole soybeans, adds a rich umami flavor and is a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: organic tamari sauce (water, organic whole soybeans, salt)
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Is Brown Sugar safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Brown Sugar is used here as sweetener. Brown sugar contributes sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor, but its presence raises concerns about added sugars in the sauce.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: brown sugar
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Is Cane Sugar safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Cane Sugar is used here as sweetener. Cane sugar is another source of sweetness, which may contribute to higher sugar content and potential health concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: cane sugar
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Is Red Wine Vinegar safe in this sauce condiment?
Good
Red Wine Vinegar is used here as acidulant. Red wine vinegar adds acidity and tanginess, balancing the sweetness from sugars and enhancing flavor complexity.
Role in formula: acidulant
Original: red wine vinegar
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Is Canola Oil safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Canola Oil is used here as emulsifier. Canola oil is used for texture and mouthfeel, but it is a refined oil that may raise concerns about processing.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: canola oil
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Is Salt safe in this sauce condiment?
Good
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor and acts as a preservative, but excessive sodium intake can be a concern for some consumers.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
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Is Black Pepper safe in this sauce condiment?
Good
Black Pepper is used here as flavor. Black pepper adds spiciness and depth to the sauce, contributing to its overall flavor profile.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: black pepper
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Is Natural Smoke Flavor safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Natural Smoke Flavor is used here as flavor. Natural smoke flavor provides a smoky taste without artificial additives, but its processing may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: natural smoke flavor
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Is Rochester Sauce safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Rochester Sauce is used here as flavor. Rochester sauce contains various ingredients that enhance flavor but may introduce additional sugars and preservatives.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: contains less than 0.5% of: rochester sauce (distilled vinegar, corn syrup, water, salt, garlic powder, spices, tamarind, natural flavor)
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Is Xanthan Gum safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Xanthan Gum is used here as thickener. Xanthan gum is a thickening agent that improves texture but is a processed ingredient that may not appeal to all consumers.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: xanthan gum
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Is Natural Flavoring safe in this sauce condiment?
Medium
Natural Flavoring is used here as flavor. Natural flavoring enhances the overall taste but can be vague in terms of specific ingredients, raising transparency concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: natural flavoring
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Is Dehydrated Garlic safe in this sauce condiment?
Good
Dehydrated Garlic is used here as flavor. Dehydrated garlic adds a robust flavor profile, contributing to the sauce's overall taste without artificial additives.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: dehydrated garlic
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: 3417325
More from this brand: Stubb's products in Zerotox
Similar products: sauce_condiment 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.