Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse sweet hawaiian bread
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Breads

Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse sweet hawaiian bread

22 oz

Score

Poor 32 out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • No synthetic dyes

Why it scores 32

Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse sweet hawaiian bread scores 32 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. minus 7.5 points Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose): In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. Strong

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

The Receipt

Farmhouse sweet hawaiian bread

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar minus 20 points
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose) minus 7.5 points
    Strong In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. [4][5][6][7]
  • Wheat gluten minus 2.5 points
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 1.5 points
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [9][10][11][12]
  • Soybean oil minus 1.5 points
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [9][10][11][12]
  • Canola oil minus 1.5 points
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [9][10][11][12]
  • Mono- and diglycerides minus 0.5 points
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [6][13][8]
  • Calcium propionate minus 0.5 points
    Regulatory Health Canada permits it only in listed foods, up to set limits (2,000 ppm in bread, as propionic acid). [14]
  • Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [15][8]
  • Soy lecithin minus 0.5 points
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • DATEM minus 0.5 points
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−37

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavoring, industrial protein and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 13.3 g / 100 g minus 5 points
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 1.2 g / 100 g minus 3 points
    Strong High in salt. [16]
  • Energy 289 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Protein 13.3 g / 100 g plus 2 points
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−7

TOTAL 32Poor

100 − 68 = 32

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]


GTIN 00014100049890 · 2026-02-26

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy289 kcal
Fat3.3 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates48.9 g
Sugars13.3 g
Added sugars11.1 g
Fiber2.2 g
Protein13.3 g
Salt1.2 g

Serving: 1 slice (45 g)

Ingredients

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

MADE FROM: ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, WHEAT GLUTEN, YEAST, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: VEGETABLE OILS (SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA), SALT, NONFAT MILK, MONOGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM PROPIONATE AND SORBIC ACID TO EXTEND FRESHNESS, CELLULOSE GUM, BAKING SODA, NATURAL FLAVORS, ANNATTO AND TURMERIC FOR COLOR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, SOY LECITHIN, DATEM. CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK, SOY.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Not vegan
  • Not gluten-free
  • 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. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org

  5. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  6. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org

  7. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Jan 16, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “The Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that there would be no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for the unmodified and modified celluloses”

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”

    doi.org

  10. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  11. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  12. 11. List of Permitted Preservatives (Lists of Permitted Food Additives)

    Health Canada · Oct 20, 2025 · Regulator

    “B.2 Butylated Hydroxyanisole n/a (a) Active dry yeasts (a) Preservative (a) 1,000 ppm n/a”

    canada.ca

  13. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  14. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  15. 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