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Mountain Dew 2024 Mystery Flavor Mountain Dew: VOODEW - (20 OZ)
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

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Mountain Dew 2024 Mystery Flavor Mountain Dew: VOODEW - (20 OZ)

1 (X) 20 oz bottle

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
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Why it scores 35

Mountain Dew 2024 Mystery Flavor Mountain Dew: VOODEW - (20 OZ) scores 35 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. High fructose corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Sugars 73 g / 100 ml: Very high in sugar. Strong

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

Better sodas

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

2024 Mystery Flavor Mountain Dew: VOODEW - (20 OZ)

START100

Ingredients

  • High fructose corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
  • Sodium benzoate
    Strong Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. [5][6][7]
  • Potassium sorbate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight (as sorbic acid); generally recognized as safe in the US. [8][9]
  • Glycerol ester of rosin (ester gum)
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
subtotal−31.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [10]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [10]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 73 g / 100 ml
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
subtotal−14
TOTAL 35Poor

100 − 65 = 35

Can’t score above 79. Contains high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4]

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]

GTIN 00012000240010 · 2025-08-03

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Fat0 g
Carbohydrates73 g
Sugars73 g
Protein0 g
Salt0.2 g

Ingredients

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

0% carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup value natural and artificial flavor, citric acid. gum arabic, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness caffeine, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate 4% (preserves freshness), glycerol ester of rosin calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor bottled under the authority of pepsico, inc. purchase, ny 10577. 27% w 23430 jd

More from Mountain Dew

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. 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

  6. 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

  7. Re-evaluation of benzyl alcohol (E 1519) as food additive (records the 2016 benzoate re-evaluation)

    European Food Safety Authority · Oct 30, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “derived a group ADI of 5 mg/kg bw per day (expressed as benzoic acid) in accordance with the ADI previously derived by SCF and JECFA”

    doi.org

  8. Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

    doi.org

  9. 21 CFR 182.3640 Potassium sorbate

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ecfr.gov

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  12. 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

  13. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org