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Goya Yellow Rice Spanish Style
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Rice dishes

Goya Yellow Rice Spanish Style

7 oz

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Dye with an EU warning label
  • Contains synthetic dyes
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Seed-oil free
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Why it scores 18

Goya Yellow Rice Spanish Style scores 18 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. 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
  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 rice and pasta side dishes

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

The Receipt

Yellow Rice Spanish Style

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Yellow 5
    Regulatory In the EU and UK, foods with this color must state that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". [4][5][6][7][8][9]
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
    Strong The FDA considers MSG generally recognized as safe; some sensitive people report mild, short-lived symptoms after 3 g or more without food. [10][11][12]
  • Yeast extract
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [12]
  • Maltodextrin
    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]
  • Silicon dioxide
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [12]
subtotal−47.5

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: anti-caking agent, color (added), flavor enhancer, flavoring and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [12]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 2.8 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [14]
  • Energy 356 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−11
TOTAL 18Bad

100 − 82.5 = 17.5 → 18

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, 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). [15]

GTIN 00041331126625 · 2026-02-28

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy356 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates77.8 g
Sugars2.2 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber2.2 g
Protein6.7 g
Salt2.8 g

Serving: 0.25 cup dry mix (45 g)

Ingredients

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

LONG GRAIN ENRICHED PARBOILED WHITE RICE (RICE ENRICHED WITH IRON [FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE], NIACIN, THIAMINE [THIAMINE MONONITRATE] AND FOLIC ACID), CHICKEN FLAVOR (SALT, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SUGAR, YEAST EXTRACT, MALTODEXTRIN, GRANULATED ONION, CHICKEN FAT, NATURAL FLAVOR, SILICON DIOXIDE AS ANTICAKING AGENT, GRANULATED GARLIC, SPICES, PARSLEY), DEHYDRATED ONION, SALT, GRANULATED GARLIC, DEHYDRATED RED BELL PEPPER, DEHYDRATED GREEN BELL PEPPER, CORIANDER, YELLOW 5, SILICON DIOXIDE (AS ANTICAKING AGENT), ANNATTO

Allergens and diets

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest rice dishes in the US

More from Goya

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. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008 on food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · Dec 16, 2008 · Law

    “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  5. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (as it applies in the UK), Annex V: food colours requiring additional labelling

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Law

    “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

    legislation.gov.uk

  6. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

    The Lancet · November 2007 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  7. Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “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

  8. California AB 2316 (2024), Pupil nutrition: substances: prohibition

    California Legislative Information · Sep 28, 2024 · Law

    “beginning December 31, 2027, would prohibit a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school”

    leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

  9. 21 CFR 74.705 FD&C Yellow No. 5

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 29, 2016 · Law

    “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

  10. Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Jul 17, 2026 · Regulator

    “FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”

    fda.gov

  11. EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food

    European Food Safety Authority · Jul 12, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “EFSA re-assessed the safety of glutamates used as food additives and derived a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg/kg body weight per day for all six of these additives.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  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. 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. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  16. HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (press release)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Apr 22, 2025 · Regulator

    “Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”

    fda.gov

  17. 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

  18. 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