Macaroni Salad — ENGINEERED

Munch or Dump rates Macaroni Salad by King Soopers City Market ENGINEERED — score 30/90.

A deli 'salad' whose third ingredient is high fructose corn syrup — this is dessert dressing on refined pasta. EDTA keeps it looking fresh for weeks, which tells you how fresh it isn't. Sweet, oily, and built to disappear by the spoonful.

Why this verdict

• High fructose corn syrup is the third ingredient — in a savory side dish
• Hyper-palatable triad: refined enriched pasta + soybean-oil mayonnaise + HFCS
• Calcium disodium EDTA — a chelating preservative for extended deli-case shelf life
• Sweet pickle stacks a second sugar source on top of the HFCS
• Zero vegetables of substance — the 'salad' is pasta, oil, and sweetener

Ingredients (8)

• Cooked Macaroni (Enriched Semolina Wheat Flour, Egg White) (moderate) — Refined wheat pasta, enriched back with synthetic vitamins — fast carbs, no intact whole grain or meaningful fiber.
• Mayonnaise (Soybean Oil base) (moderate) — Refined seed-oil and egg-yolk emulsion; calorie-dense and high in omega-6 fats.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (caution) — The dominant sweetener and second ingredient; drives the sugar load.
• Egg Yolks (safe) — Adds richness and emulsifying power.
• vinegar (safe) — Mild preservative and flavor enhancer.
• Sweet Pickle (moderate) — Cucumber sweetened with more HFCS and carrying its own preservatives and polysorbate 80.
• calcium disodium edta (moderate) — Preservative that binds metals to protect quality; a processed-food additive but used in tiny amounts.
• Salt (moderate) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.