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Old El Paso Taco Shells
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

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Old El Paso Taco Shells

7.4 oz

Okay out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains palm oil
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Why it scores 54

Old El Paso Taco Shells scores 54 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  2. Saturated fat 5.1 g / 100 g: High in saturated fat. Strong
  3. Salt 1.5 g / 100 g: High in salt. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better taco shells and tostadas

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

The Receipt

Taco Shells

START100

Ingredients

  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [1][2][3]
  • Glycerin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Sodium aluminum phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [5]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [6][7][4]
  • Potassium sorbate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight (as sorbic acid); generally recognized as safe in the US. [8][9]
  • Hydrogenated oil
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [10][11][12][13]
  • Cottonseed oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [10][11][12][13]
subtotal−13

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [4]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, humectant and industrial fat. [4]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 5.1 g / 100 g
    Strong High in saturated fat. [1]
  • Salt 1.5 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [14]
  • Energy 327 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [15]
subtotal−12
TOTAL 54Okay

100 − 46 = 54

Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [16]

GTIN 00046000812151 · 2026-01-06

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy327 kcal
Fat10.2 g
Saturated fat5.1 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates53.1 g
Sugars2 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber2 g
Protein6.1 g
Salt1.5 g

Serving: 2 tortillas (48 g)

Ingredients

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

Tortillas: Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Water, Palm Oil, Glycerin. Contains 2% or less of: Baking Powder (sodium aluminum phosphate, baking soda), Mono And Diglycerides, Salt, Potassium Sorbate and Calcium Propionate (preservatives), Fumaric Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (soybean, Palm, and/or cottonseed oil), Dough Conditioner (salt, wheat starch, enzymes). Taco Shells: Limed Corn Flour, Palm Oil, Salt.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest cookies in the US

More from Old El Paso

Sources

  1. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  2. Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods

    European Food Safety Authority · May 3, 2016 · Agency assessment

    “The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  3. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  6. 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

  7. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  8. Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

    doi.org

  9. 21 CFR 182.3640 Potassium sorbate

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  10. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  11. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  13. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  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. 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

  16. 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

  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

  19. 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

  20. 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