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Member's Mark White Queso Dip
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Cheeses

Member's Mark White Queso Dip

32 oz

Good out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
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Why it scores 64

Member's Mark White Queso Dip scores 64 out of 100 (Good) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  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 phosphate: 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. 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

White Queso Dip

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 phosphate
    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. [4]
  • Sorbic acid
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight per day for sorbic acid and potassium sorbate. [5]
  • Calcium chloride
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [6]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [6]
  • 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. [5][7]
subtotal−17

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [6]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: firming agent and modified starch. [6]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition

  • Nutrition facts unavailable
    Info No nutrition facts on file, so nutrition was not scored.
subtotal0
TOTAL 64Good

100 − 36.5 = 63.5 → 64

Can’t score above 79. No nutrition facts on file, so we can't confirm excellent.

GTIN 00193968416690 · 2026-01-23

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Ingredients

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

PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN CHEESE (cultured milk, water, cream, salt, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, lactic acid, sorbic acid preservative, enzymes), water, jalapeños (jalapeño peppers, water, salt, citric acid, calcium chloride), whole milk powder, modified corn starch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium benzoate (preservative)

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest cheeses in the US

More from Member's Mark

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. 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

  5. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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