Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce — ENGINEERED
Munch or Dump rates Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce by Costco ENGINEERED — score 30/90.
A sweet-savory teriyaki marinade that's roughly half sugar by weight, built on three different sweeteners plus high-fructose corn syrup and modified starch.
Why this verdict
- Three-plus distinct sweeteners stacked (sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, HFCS, dextrose)
- Roughly 50% sugar by weight despite the savory positioning
- High-fructose corn syrup near the top of the list
- Modified starch and heavy sodium load from soy sauce
- NOVA 4 ultra-processed condiment
Ingredients (8)
- Soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt) (moderate) — Fermented base that delivers umami but also a heavy sodium load; contains wheat and soy.
- High-fructose corn syrup / glucose-fructose syrup (concerning) — Cheap liquid sugar linked to excess calorie intake and metabolic strain; sits near the top of the list.
- Sugar (moderate) — Added sugar sitting ahead of cocoa; the main flavor driver here.
- Mirin (water, dextrose, rice sake, salt) (moderate) — Sweet rice cooking wine that adds yet another sugar source (dextrose) plus more sodium.
- Acidifiers (lactic acid, succinic acid) (safe) — Common acidity regulators for flavor balance and shelf stability; minimal health impact.
- Dehydrated Garlic (safe) — Dried garlic, recognizable and harmless.
- Spices (safe) — Generic seasoning blend, no concern.
- modified starch (moderate) — Industrial thickener that signals a processed, NOVA-4 formulation.