Rainbow Cherry — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates Rainbow Cherry by Squire Boone Village DUMP — score 17/90.
Sugar, glucose syrup, and a five-dye rainbow — this souvenir pop is a paint set you can lick. At least it's honest: nobody at the cave gift shop claimed this was health food. Red 3 alone earns the exit.
Why this verdict
- Five artificial dyes stacked in one candy: Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1
- Red 3 (erythrosine) caused thyroid tumors in animal studies and the FDA has moved to pull it from foods — it has no business in candy
- Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 carry hyperactivity warnings for children in the EU — this is a product aimed at children
- The entire food content is sugar and glucose syrup — two forms of sugar and zero nutrition
- Artificial flavors do all the 'cherry' work; there is no cherry
Ingredients (9)
- Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.
- glucose syrup (caution) — A second refined sweetener in the caramel.
- citric acid (safe) — Acidity and tartness adjuster.
- Artificial Flavors (moderate) — Synthetic flavoring; the reason this counts as a flavored coffee.
- red 40 (avoid) — Artificial petroleum-derived dye with no purpose in a brown chocolate product; a decisive negative.
- red 3 (avoid) — FDA revoked its food authorization in January 2025 over animal cancer findings; makers have until 2027 to remove it — it's still in this box.
- yellow 5 (avoid) — Artificial dye linked to sensitivity in some people; unnecessary here.
- yellow 6 (avoid) — Synthetic azo dye used purely for color.
- blue 1 (avoid) — Artificial dye used to tune color; no nutritional role.
Healthier alternatives