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Ricos Gourmet Nacho Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Sauces

Ricos Gourmet Nacho Cheddar Cheese Sauce

15 oz / 425 g

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

Ricos Gourmet Nacho Cheddar Cheese Sauce scores 17 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Yellow 6: 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
  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 dips and spreads

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

The Receipt

Gourmet Nacho Cheddar Cheese Sauce

START100

Ingredients

  • Yellow 6
    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". [1][2][3][4][5]
  • 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". [1][2][3][4][5][6]
  • Caramel color
    Regulatory The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. [7][8][9][10]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [11]
  • 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, modified starch, sequestrant and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [11]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 2.2 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [12]
subtotal−7
TOTAL 17Bad

100 − 83 = 17

Can’t score above 79. Contains Yellow 6, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [13]

GTIN 00079426211109 · 2026-03-22

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy113 kcal
Fat7.3 g
Saturated fat0.8 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates9.7 g
Sugars3.2 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber0 g
Protein1.6 g
Salt2.2 g

Serving: 0.25 cup (62 g)

Ingredients

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

CHEESE WHEY, WATER, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, VEGETABLE OIL (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: CANOLA, SOYBEAN, SUNFLOWER), CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, JALAPENO PEPPERS, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, ANHYDROUS MILKFAT, LACTIC ACID, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, NATURAL FLAVORS, TOMATO PASTE, CITRIC ACID, NONFAT DRY MILK, XANTHAN GUM, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, CARAMEL COLOR (CONTAINS SULFITES), ANNATTO AND TURMERIC (AS COLORS).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest sauces in the US

Sources

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  9. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  10. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  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. 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

  18. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  20. 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