Soyaki Sauce (Island Soyaki) — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Soyaki Sauce (Island Soyaki) by Trader Joe's OKAY — score 70/90.

The savory backbone here is real: brewed soy sauce, sesame, ginger, garlic and pineapple. The catch is two sweeteners stacked together, pineapple juice concentrate plus cane sugar, on top of soy sauce sodium. No MSG, gums or artificial anything, so it is a decent marinade used sparingly rather than poured on freely.

Why this verdict

• Two distinct sweeteners: pineapple juice concentrate and cane sugar
• Real savory ingredients: brewed soy sauce, sesame, ginger and garlic
• High sodium from soy sauce base
• No MSG, no gums, no artificial flavors or colors
• Balanced overall between genuine ingredients and added sugars

Ingredients (9)

• Soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt) (moderate) — Brewed savory base; high sodium and contains wheat.
• pineapple juice concentrate (moderate) — Concentrated fruit sugar acting as a sweetener.
• Cane Sugar (moderate) — Added sugar in the chocolate coating; the only sweetener.
• SESAME SEED (safe) — Whole seed for flavor.
• Garlic Puree (safe) — Real aromatic.
• Expeller pressed soybean oil (moderate) — Refined seed oil; small amount.
• GINGER PUREE (safe) — Real aromatic.
• TOASTED SESAME OIL (safe) — Flavor oil in small amount.
• DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR (safe) — Acidulant.