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Birds Eye Garlic Chicken
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Instant pasta with chicken

Birds Eye Garlic Chicken

63 oz/1.79 kg

Poor out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 22

Birds Eye Garlic Chicken scores 22 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Caramel color: The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. Regulatory
  3. 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.

Better frozen meals

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

The Receipt

Garlic Chicken

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Caramel color
    Regulatory The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. [4][5][6][7]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [8][9][10][11]
  • Yeast extract
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [12]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [13][12]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [12]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [12]
  • Sodium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [14]
subtotal−48

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [12]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [12]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 4.6 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some sugar. [1]
  • Salt 0.9 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [15]
subtotal−6
TOTAL 22Poor

100 − 78 = 22

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

GTIN 00014500010537 · 2025-08-31

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy136 kcal
Fat4.6 g
Saturated fat0.9 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates16.5 g
Sugars4.6 g
Fiber1.7 g
Protein6.3 g
Salt0.9 g

Serving: 1 serving (176 g)

Ingredients

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

VEGETABLES (BROCCOLI, CARROTS, CORN), PASTA WITH GARLIC SAUCE (COOKED ENRICHED PASTA [WATER, ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR {DURUM WHEAT SEMOLINA, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID}], SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED WHEY, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: SALT, GARLIC SEASONING [GARLIC POWDER, SUGAR, SPICES, YEAST EXTRACT, SALT, WEY, ENZYME MODIFIED MILKFAT, NATURAL FLAVORS {WITH MILK}], ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], CORN MALTODEXTRIN, NATURAL GARLIC OIL BLEND [MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, NATURAL FLAVORS, SOY LECITHIN], NATURAL FLAVOR), GRILLED WHITE MEAT CHICKEN COATED WITH SEASONING (CHICKEN, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF POTATO STARCH, SALT, SEASONING [SUGAR, GARLIC POWDER, ONION POWDER], SODIUM PHOSPHATES, NATURAL FLAVORS. COATING INGREDIENTS [CORN FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT, SPICES, GARLIC POWDER, PAPRIKA, CARAMEL COLOR, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA]). CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK, SOY.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

More from Birds Eye

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. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

  5. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  6. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

  8. 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

  9. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    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. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  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. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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