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 bran then fortified - the crust base.
• CHEDDAR CHEESE (safe) — Real cheddar, but a small fraction of the mix.
• 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) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.
• autolyzed yeast extract (moderate) — Another glutamate source layered on top of MSG and yeast extract.
• Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.
• Paprika (safe) — Natural color and flavor from ground peppers.
• ONION POWDER (safe) — Dried aromatic for flavor.
• Celery (safe) — Real vegetable.
• Monocalcium Phosphate (moderate) — Leavening acid; adds to the total phosphate load.
• Baking Soda (safe) — A basic leavening agent. Completely standard.
• yeast (safe) — Leavening agent for bread rising.