Mountain Dew Citrus Soda — DUMP

Munch or Dump rates Mountain Dew Citrus Soda by Mountain Dew DUMP — score 17/90.

A neon sugar delivery system: HFCS is the second ingredient, and one 12 oz can packs 46g of sugar — more than most desserts. The famous glow comes from Yellow 5 dye, not citrus. Honest junk with no health pretense, and still a hard dump.

Why this verdict

• High fructose corn syrup is ingredient #2 — 46g of sugar per can, among the highest of any major soda.
• Yellow 5 (tartrazine) supplies the signature color — an artificial dye linked to hyperactivity in kids.
• Sodium benzoate sits alongside erythorbic acid, a preservative pairing that can form trace benzene.
• Calcium disodium EDTA and gum arabic round out a formula tuned for shelf life and mouthfeel, not nutrition.
• The 'concentrated orange juice' is a trace acidulant, not actual fruit content.

Ingredients (9)

• High Fructose Corn Syrup (caution) — The dominant sweetener and second ingredient; drives the sugar load.
• Yellow 5 (tartrazine) (caution) — Synthetic petroleum-derived dye linked to hyperactivity sensitivity in some children.
• sodium benzoate (caution) — Chemical preservative for shelf life.
• erythorbic acid (safe) — Antioxidant preservative, a vitamin C relative.
• calcium disodium edta (moderate) — Preservative that binds metals to protect quality; a processed-food additive but used in tiny amounts.
• Caffeine (moderate) — Mild stimulant, 43mg per serving. Fine in moderation but makes the drink mildly habit-forming.
• concentrated orange juice (safe) — A splash of real juice for citrus flavor — not enough to matter nutritionally.
• gum arabic (safe) — Natural gum used to bind seasoning to the chip.
• Natural flavor (moderate) — Undisclosed flavor blend; minor but not fully transparent.