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Gerber Puffs Banana (Crawler) imp
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Food

Gerber Puffs Banana (Crawler) imp

42 g

Poor out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • No synthetic dyes
  • Contains whole grains
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Why it scores 28

Gerber Puffs Banana (Crawler) imp scores 28 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.

The Receipt

Puffs Banana (Crawler) imp

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]
  • Sunflower lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−42.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added) and emulsifier. [8]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 14.3 g / 100 g
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Energy 357 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−10
TOTAL 28Poor

100 − 72 = 28

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

GTIN 00015000045210 · 2026-06-29

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy357 kcal
Fat0 g
Carbohydrates85.7 g
Sugars14.3 g
Added sugars14.3 g
Protein0 g

Serving: 60 serving (7 g)

Ingredients

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

Rice Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Wheat Starch, Cane Sugar, Whole Grain Oat Flour, Natural Banana Flavor, Dried Apple Puree, Mixed Tocopherols, Sunflower Lecithin, Caramel Color, Turmeric Extract Color, Choline Bitartrate, Iron, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Niacinamide (A B Vitamin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Wheat, Gluten

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

More from Gerber

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 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

  10. 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