Cereals and their products
Pasta Roni Angel Hair Pasta with Herbs
4.8 oz (136 g)
Score
- Dye with an EU warning label
- Contains synthetic dyes
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
Why it scores 15
Pasta Roni Angel Hair Pasta with Herbs scores 15 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Corn syrup solids: An added sugar. Strong
- 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
- 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.
Better rice and pasta side dishes
-
Pearled Couscous Mix Basil & Herb Near East · 5 oz/144 g No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 65 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Rice Pilaf Mix Garlic & Herb Near East No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 58 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Long grain & wild rice mix garlic and herb Earthly Grains (Aldi) No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 63 out of 100 , 48 points higher -
Organic Garlic & Herb Rice Pilaf 365 Whole Foods Market · 6.1 oz/173 g No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 78 out of 100 , 63 points higher -
Dirty rice mix Zatarain's · 8 oz No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 79 out of 100 , 64 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Angel Hair Pasta with Herbs
Ingredients
- Corn syrup solids minus 20 points
- Yellow 5 minus 20 points
- Yellow 6 minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 1.8 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 2.5 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 339 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Protein 12.5 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 85.5 = 14.5 → 15
Can’t score above 79. Contains corn syrup solids, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [13]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 339 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 3.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.8 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67.9 g |
| Sugars | 3.6 g |
| Added sugars | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 1.8 g |
| Protein | 12.5 g |
| Salt | 2.5 g |
Serving: 1 serving (56 g)
Ingredients
- Wheat flour
- whey
- salt
- palm oil
- corn maltodextrin
- corn syrup solids (high concern)
- natural flavor
- onions
- monosodium glutamate
- parsley
- garlic
- sodium caseinate
- potassium phosphate
- rosemary
- soy lecithin
- sunflower oil
- sage
- niacinamide
- ferrous sulfate
- yellow 5 (high concern)
- yellow 6 lake (high concern)
- yellow 6 (high concern)
- celery
- thiamin mononitrate
- riboflavin
- folic acid
Label text, as published
Wheat flour, whey, salt, palm oil, corn maltodextrin, corn syrup solids, natural flavor, onions*, monosodium glutamate, parsley*, garlic*, sodium caseinate, potassium phosphate, rosemary, soy lecithin, sunflower oil, sage, niacinamide, ferrous sulfate, yellow 5, yellow 6 lake, yellow 6, celery*, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid. *dried
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Celery
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Paper, Plastic
Context only: no points in v1.
Sources
-
Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008 on food additives
“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
legislation.gov.uk
-
“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
-
Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes
“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
-
California AB 2316 (2024), Pupil nutrition: substances: prohibition
“beginning December 31, 2027, would prohibit a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
-
21 CFR 74.705 FD&C Yellow No. 5
“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
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“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
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (press release)
“Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”
fda.gov
-
“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
-
“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
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu