Goldfish Baked Snack Crackers Cheddar — ENGINEERED

Munch or Dump rates Goldfish Baked Snack Crackers Cheddar by Pepperidge Farm ENGINEERED — score 30/90.

A refined-flour, refined-oil cracker built for craving, with a hidden yeast-extract flavor enhancer doing the heavy lifting behind the 'real cheese' marketing.

Why this verdict

• Refined enriched wheat flour is the #1 ingredient, stripped then fortified back
• Refined blended vegetable oils (canola/sunflower/soybean) as the fat base
• Autolyzed yeast extract is a hidden free-glutamate flavor enhancer, like MSG
• Added sugar and multiple processing agents on a ~16-ingredient list
• Classified NOVA 4 (ultra-processed)

Ingredients (12)

• Enriched wheat flour (moderate) — Refined flour stripped of fiber and germ, then partly re-fortified with iron and B vitamins; digests fast and spikes blood sugar.
• CHEDDAR CHEESE (safe) — Real cheese, but present at less than 2% — a flavor accent, not a meaningful ingredient.
• Vegetable oils (canola, sunflower and/or soybean) (moderate) — Refined seed oils used as a cheap fat base; heavily processed and high in omega-6.
• Salt (moderate) — Added for taste and mild preservation. Fine in small amounts but adds to daily sodium.
• autolyzed yeast extract (concerning) — A source of free glutamates that boosts savory 'crave' flavor much like MSG, while dodging the artificial-flavor label.
• Sugar (concerning) — Added sugar, third by weight, feeds yeast and adds sweetness with no nutritional benefit.
• Paprika (safe) — Plant-based spice and natural color.
• ONION POWDER (safe) — Dried seasoning, harmless.
• Celery (safe) — Minor flavoring; harmless but present in trace amounts.
• Monocalcium Phosphate (moderate) — Leavening acid; a processed additive but low concern at this level.
• Baking Soda (safe) — Leavening agent, harmless in these amounts.
• yeast (safe) — Standard leavening agent, no health concern.