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Hillshire Farm Black Forest Ham
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Prepared meats

Hillshire Farm Black Forest Ham

16 oz

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains nitrites or nitrates
  • Contains added sugars
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 26

Hillshire Farm Black Forest Ham scores 26 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Sodium nitrite: IARC classifies ingested nitrate or nitrite under conditions that result in endogenous nitrosation as Group 2A; it classifies processed meat as Group 1. 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 deli meat

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

The Receipt

Black Forest Ham

START100

Ingredients

  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sodium nitrite
    Regulatory IARC classifies ingested nitrate or nitrite under conditions that result in endogenous nitrosation as Group 2A; it classifies processed meat as Group 1. [4][5][6][7][8]
  • 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. [9][4][10][11]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [12]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added) and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [12]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 3 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [13]
  • Protein 16.1 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−5
TOTAL 26Poor

100 − 74.5 = 25.5 → 26

Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]

GTIN 00044500201482 · 2026-04-21

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy107 kcal
Fat2.7 g
Saturated fat0.9 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates1.8 g
Sugars1.8 g
Added sugars1.8 g
Fiber0 g
Protein16.1 g
Salt3 g

Serving: 1 portion (56 g)

Ingredients

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

CURED WITH: WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: SODIUM LACTATE, SALT, DEXTROSE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C), SODIUM NITRITE, CARAMEL COLOR.

Allergens and diets

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest prepared meats in the US

More from Hillshire Farm

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  5. Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat (IARC Monographs Vol. 114 working group summary)

    The Lancet Oncology · December 2015 · IARC

    doi.org

  6. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2108 of 6 October 2023 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as regards food additives nitrites (E 249–250) and nitrates (E 251–252)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 6, 2023 · Law

    “the presence of nitrites and nitrates in foods can give rise to the formation of nitrosamines some of which are carcinogenic.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  7. EFSA confirms safe levels for nitrites and nitrates added to food

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 15, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “They concluded that when nitrites are used at approved levels, their contribution to overall exposure to nitrosamines is of low concern for health.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  8. Nitrosamines in food raise a health concern

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 28, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “Nitrosamines in food raise a health concern”

    efsa.europa.eu

  9. 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

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

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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