Brisk Lemonade
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Sodas

Brisk Lemonade

1 L

Score

Bad 13 out of 100 High confidence
  • Dye with an EU warning label
  • Contains synthetic dyes
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars

Why it scores 13

Brisk Lemonade scores 13 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. minus 20 points High fructose corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. minus 20 points Yellow 5: In the EU and UK, foods with this color must state that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". Regulatory
  3. minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

The Receipt

Brisk Lemonade

START100

Ingredients

  • High fructose corn syrup minus 20 points
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
  • Yellow 5 minus 20 points
    Regulatory In the EU and UK, foods with this color must state that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". [5][6][7][8][9][10]
  • Potassium benzoate minus 7.5 points
    Strong Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. [11]
  • Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) minus 2.5 points
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, acesulfame-K intake was associated with higher cancer risk; cause and effect is not established. [12][13][14][2]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [15]
  • 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 8 points
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, non-nutritive sweetener, sequestrant and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [15]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 ml

  • Sugars 4.6 g / 100 ml minus 9 points
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Energy 19 kcal / 100 ml minus 2 points
    Info Energy-dense for its volume. [2]
subtotal−11

TOTAL 13Bad

100 − 87 = 13

Can’t score above 79. Contains high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]


GTIN 00012000101908 · 2026-02-04

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy19 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Carbohydrates4.6 g
Sugars4.6 g
Added sugars4.6 g
Protein0 g
Salt0.1 g

Serving: 8 OZA (240 ml)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

Water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, lemon juice concentrate, sodium polyphosphates (to protect flavor), potassium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preserve freshness), gum arabic, salt, glycerol ester of rosin, natural flavor, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor), yellow 5.

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. 21 CFR 184.1866 High fructose corn syrup

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Mar 24, 2023 · Law

    “a sweet, nutritive saccharide mixture containing either approximately 42 or 55 percent fructose”

    ecfr.gov

  5. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008 on food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · Dec 16, 2008 · Law

    “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  6. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (as it applies in the UK), Annex V: food colours requiring additional labelling

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Law

    “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

    legislation.gov.uk

  7. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

    The Lancet · November 2007 · Peer-reviewed

    “Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”

    doi.org

  8. Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2—by the end of 2027.”

    fda.gov

  9. California AB 2316 (2024), Pupil nutrition: substances: prohibition

    California Legislative Information · Sep 28, 2024 · Law

    “beginning December 31, 2027, would prohibit a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school”

    leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

  10. 21 CFR 74.705 FD&C Yellow No. 5

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 29, 2016 · Law

    “shall specifically declare the presence of FD&C Yellow No. 5 by listing the color additive as FD&C Yellow No. 5 among the list of ingredients.”

    ecfr.gov

  11. Benzene production from decarboxylation of benzoic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid and a transition-metal catalyst

    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · May 1993 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. Artificial sweeteners and cancer risk: Results from the NutriNet-Santé population-based cohort study

    PLOS Medicine · Mar 24, 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “In this large cohort study, artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame and acesulfame-K), which are used in many food and beverage brands worldwide, were associated with increased cancer risk.”

    doi.org

  13. Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive (plain language summary)

    European Food Safety Authority · Apr 30, 2025 · Agency assessment

    “The acceptable daily intake (ADI) considered safe for all population groups was set at 15 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  14. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  15. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  16. HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (press release)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Apr 22, 2025 · Regulator

    “Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”

    fda.gov

  17. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org