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Corn chips

Vlasic Pickle Balls Corn Puffs

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Dye with an EU warning label
  • Contains synthetic dyes
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
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Why it scores 17

Vlasic Pickle Balls Corn Puffs scores 17 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 cheese puffs and curls

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

The Receipt

Pickle Balls Corn Puffs

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]
  • Green 3
    Regulatory The FDA is working with industry to remove six petroleum-based dyes from US food by the end of 2027; California bans them in school meals from December 31, 2027. [7][8][10]
  • Vegetable oil (unspecified)
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [11][12][13][14]
  • Canola oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [11][12][13][14]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [15]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), flavor enhancer, flavoring and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [15]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 1.7 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. [16]
  • Salt 2.4 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [17]
  • Energy 500 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 3.3 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−11
TOTAL 17Bad

100 − 83.5 = 16.5 → 17

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 fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [18]

GTIN 00054100000989 · 2025-03-11

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy500 kcal
Fat23.3 g
Saturated fat1.7 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates63.3 g
Sugars3.3 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber3.3 g
Protein6.7 g
Salt2.4 g

Serving: 46 pieces (30 g)

Ingredients

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

DEGERMED YELLOW CORN MEAL, VEGETABLE OIL (CANOLA AND/OR SUNFLOWER), SEASONING BLEND (CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SALT, CITRIC ACID, SPICE, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SUGAR, ONION POWDER, SODIUM DIACETATE, VINEGAR POWDER, GARLIC POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE), LESS THAN 2% OF YELLOW 5, GREEN 3.

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest corn chips in the US

More from Vlasic

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. Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 by establishing a Union list of food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 11, 2011 · Law

    “E 127 Erythrosine 200 only cocktail cherries and candied cherries”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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