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Vlasic Sweet Relish
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Pickled vegetables

Vlasic Sweet Relish

330 g

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • May contain traces of 1,4-dioxane
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 17

Vlasic Sweet Relish scores 17 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. High fructose corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Sugars 20 g / 100 g: Very high in sugar. Strong

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

Better relish, peppers and pickled vegetables

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

The Receipt

Sweet Relish

START100

Ingredients

  • High fructose corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
  • Sodium benzoate
    Strong Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. [5][6][7]
  • Polysorbate 80
    Strong In mice, polysorbate 80 altered the gut microbiota and promoted low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome; human evidence is limited. [8][9]
  • Xanthan gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
  • Sodium aluminum sulfate
    Regulatory The EU cut the uses of aluminum-containing additives in 2012 because aluminum intake can exceed the tolerable weekly intake, especially in children. [11]
  • 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. [12][10]
  • Calcium chloride
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
subtotal−40

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [10]
  • 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, firming agent, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [10]
subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 20 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 2.3 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [13]
subtotal−18
TOTAL 17Bad

100 − 83.5 = 16.5 → 17

Can’t score above 79. Contains high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4]

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

GTIN 00054100018700 · 2026-06-07

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy100 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates20 g
Sugars20 g
Added sugars20 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt2.3 g

Serving: 1 serving (15 g)

Ingredients

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

Cucumbers, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Less Than 2% Of: Spice, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate (As Preservative), Dehydrated Red Pepper, Polysorbate 80, Alum, Natural Flavors, Turmeric Extract (Color), Calcium Chloride

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest pickled vegetables 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. 21 CFR 184.1866 High fructose corn syrup

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Mar 24, 2023 · Law

    “a sweet, nutritive saccharide mixture containing either approximately 42 or 55 percent fructose”

    ecfr.gov

  5. Benzene production from decarboxylation of benzoic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid and a transition-metal catalyst

    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · May 1993 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  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. Re-evaluation of benzyl alcohol (E 1519) as food additive (records the 2016 benzoate re-evaluation)

    European Food Safety Authority · Oct 30, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “derived a group ADI of 5 mg/kg bw per day (expressed as benzoic acid) in accordance with the ADI previously derived by SCF and JECFA”

    doi.org

  8. 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

  9. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of polysorbates (E 432–436) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Jul 17, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “There is no concern regarding genotoxicity, carcinogenicity or developmental toxicity.”

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Commission Regulation (EU) No 380/2012 of 3 May 2012 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 as regards the conditions of use and the use levels for aluminium-containing food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · May 3, 2012 · Law

    “In addition, EFSA considers that the revised TWI is generally exceeded for high consumers, especially children, in a significant part of the Union.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  12. 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

  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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “1,4-dioxane forms as a byproduct during the manufacturing process of certain cosmetic ingredients.”

    fda.gov

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int