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Oscar Mayer Smoked Ham & Smoked Turkey Sub Kit
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Sandwiches

Oscar Mayer Smoked Ham & Smoked Turkey Sub Kit

28 oz

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains nitrites or nitrates
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
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Why it scores 22

Oscar Mayer Smoked Ham & Smoked Turkey Sub Kit scores 22 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Ham: IARC classifies processed meat (cured, salted, smoked or fermented) as Group 1, based on colorectal cancer; each 50 g eaten daily is linked to an 18% higher risk. Regulatory
  2. Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
  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

Smoked Ham & Smoked Turkey Sub Kit

START100

Ingredients

  • Ham
    Regulatory IARC classifies processed meat (cured, salted, smoked or fermented) as Group 1, based on colorectal cancer; each 50 g eaten daily is linked to an 18% higher risk. [1][2]
  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [3][4][5]
  • 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. [6][2][7][8][9]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [10]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [10]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 2.9 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [11]
  • Protein 14 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [4]
subtotal−7
TOTAL 22Poor

100 − 78 = 22

Can’t score above 79. Contains ham, 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). [12]

GTIN 00044700031711 · 2026-09-06

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy105 kcal
Fat3.5 g
Saturated fat0.9 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates3.5 g
Sugars1.8 g
Added sugars0 g
Protein14 g
Salt2.9 g

Serving: 4 slices (57 g)

Ingredients

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

SMOKED HAM & WATER PRODUCT (HAM, WATER, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF DEXTROSE, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SODIUM PROPIONATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE); SMOKED TURKEY BREAST & WHITE TURKEY (TURKEY BREAST, WATER, WHITE TURKEY, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, DEXTROSE, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, CARRAGEENAN, SODIUM PROPIONATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE).

Allergens and diets

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

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest sandwiches in the US

More from Oscar Mayer

Sources

  1. IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat (Press Release No. 240)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · Oct 26, 2015 · IARC

    “Processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”

    iarc.who.int

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

    The Lancet Oncology · December 2015 · IARC

    doi.org

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  16. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org

  17. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org