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Great Value Lemon 100% Juice
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Lemon juice

Great Value Lemon 100% Juice

32 fl oz/1 Quart/946 mL

Good out of 100 Medium confidence
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Why it scores 77

Great Value Lemon 100% Juice scores 77 out of 100 (Good) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Processed (NOVA 3): Classified NOVA 3: processed with added salt, sugar or oil. Emerging
  2. Sodium benzoate: Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. Strong
  3. Sodium bisulfite: Sulfites must be declared above 10 mg/kg in the EU and UK and at 10 ppm or more in the US because some people, especially people with asthma, react to them. Regulatory

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

Better juices and juice drinks

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

The Receipt

Lemon 100% Juice

START100

Ingredients

  • Sodium benzoate
    Strong Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. [1][2][3]
  • Sodium bisulfite
    Regulatory Sulfites must be declared above 10 mg/kg in the EU and UK and at 10 ppm or more in the US because some people, especially people with asthma, react to them. [4][5][6]
subtotal−15

Processing

  • Processed (NOVA 3)
    Emerging Classified NOVA 3: processed with added salt, sugar or oil. [7]
subtotal−8
TOTAL 77Good

100 − 23 = 77

GTIN 00078742369662 · 2026-01-12

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy0 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates0 g
Sugars0 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 1 tsp (5 ml)

Ingredients

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

FILTERED WATER, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, LESS THAN 2% OF: SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM BISULFITE (PRESERVATIVE), LEMON OIL.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Sulphites

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest lemon juice in the US

More from Great Value

Sources

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 25, 2011 · Law

    “ANNEX II SUBSTANCES OR PRODUCTS CAUSING ALLERGIES OR INTOLERANCES 1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridised strains”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  5. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (as it applies in the UK), Annex II: substances or products causing allergies or intolerances

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Law

    “1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat (such as spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats or their hybridised strains, and products thereof”

    legislation.gov.uk

  6. 21 CFR 101.100 Food; exemptions from labeling (sulfiting agents)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Feb 17, 2022 · Law

    ecfr.gov

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org