Food
Funyuns Steakhouse Onion Flavor
Score
- Dye with an EU warning label
- Contains synthetic dyes
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
Why it scores 19
Funyuns Steakhouse Onion Flavor scores 19 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Red 40: 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.
The Receipt
Steakhouse Onion Flavor
Ingredients
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Red 40 minus 20 points
- Yellow 6 minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 3.6 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 1.3 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 500 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 81.5 = 18.5 → 19
Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [13]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 500 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 21.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.6 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67.9 g |
| Sugars | 3.6 g |
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 1.3 g |
Serving: 13 pleces (28 g)
Ingredients
- enriched corn meal
- ferrous sulfate
- niacin
- thiamin mononitrate
- riboflavin
- folic acid
- vegetable oil
- buttermilk
- corn starch
- dextrose (high concern)
- corn flour
- onion powder
- salt
- sodium diacetate
- monosodium glutamate
- potassium chloride
- spices
- natural flavors
- sour cream
- cultured cream
- skim milk
- garlic powder
- tomato powder
- yeast extract
- artificial color
- red 40 lake (high concern)
- yellow 6 lake (high concern)
- blue 1 lake (moderate concern)
Label text, as published
enriched corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, vegetable oil, buttermilk, corn starch, dextrose, corn flour, onion powder, salt, sodium diacetate, monosodium glutamate, potassium chloride, spices, natural flavors, sour cream, cultured cream, skim milk, garlic powder, tomato powder, yeast extract, artificial color, red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, blue 1 lake
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk
- Not vegan
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More from Funyuns
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
-
List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply Under FDA Review
“The table below includes select food ingredients (including food and color additives), food contact substances, and contaminants under FDA review as of May 12, 2026 .”
fda.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