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Dean's French Onion DIP
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Dips

Dean's French Onion DIP

16 oz

Poor out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains palm oil
  • Seed-oil free
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Why it scores 25

Dean's French Onion DIP scores 25 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Carrageenan: In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher carrageenan intake was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes; cause and effect is not established. Strong

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

Better dips and spreads

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

The Receipt

French Onion DIP

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Carrageenan
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher carrageenan intake was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes; cause and effect is not established. [4][5][6][7]
  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [8][9][10]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
  • Sodium hexametaphosphate
    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. [12]
  • 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. [13][14]
  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
    Strong The FDA considers MSG generally recognized as safe; some sensitive people report mild, short-lived symptoms after 3 g or more without food. [15][16][11]
  • Locust bean gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
  • Guar gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
subtotal−37

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [11]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavor enhancer, modified starch, sequestrant and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [11]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 6.7 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 8.3 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [8]
  • Salt 1.1 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [17]
  • Energy 200 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−14
TOTAL 25Poor

100 − 75 = 25

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]

Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [18]

GTIN 00071840300063 · 2026-09-21

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy200 kcal
Fat16.7 g
Saturated fat8.3 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates6.7 g
Sugars6.7 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber0 g
Protein3.3 g
Salt1.1 g

Serving: 30g

Ingredients

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

Skim milk, whey (milk), palm oil, water, salt, modified corn starch, lactic acid, gelatin, granulated sugar, citric acid, distilled vinegar, sodium hexametaphosphate, parsley, potassium sorbate, carrageenan, hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed torula and brewer's yeast protein, hydrolyzed corn and soy protein, monosodium glutamate, locust bean gum, soy lecithin, guar gum, dehydrated milk, dehydrated soy.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest dips in the US

More from Dean's

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. Food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study

    The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology · May 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”

    doi.org

  5. 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

  6. Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Apr 26, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”

    doi.org

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Jul 17, 2026 · Regulator

    “FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”

    fda.gov

  16. EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food

    European Food Safety Authority · Jul 12, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “EFSA re-assessed the safety of glutamates used as food additives and derived a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg/kg body weight per day for all six of these additives.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  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. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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