Squire Boone Village Middle Size Heart Pop, Cherry — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates Squire Boone Village Middle Size Heart Pop, Cherry by Squire Boone Caverns Inc. DUMP — score 17/90.
A heart-shaped pop with five artificial dyes plus titanium dioxide — the whitening agent the EU banned from food in 2022. It's sugar and glucose syrup painted like a valentine. Honest junk, but junk with a paint department.
Why this verdict
- Six colorants in one lollipop: Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and titanium dioxide
- Titanium dioxide (E171) was banned in EU foods over genotoxicity concerns — it's here to make candy whiter
- Red 3 is linked to thyroid tumors in animal studies and is being phased out of US food
- The only food ingredients are sugar and glucose syrup — a dual-sugar base with zero nutrition
- Artificial flavor stands in for actual cherry; this is a decorated sugar sculpture
Ingredients (10)
- 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 Flavor) (moderate) — Lab-made flavor doing the 'creme' work.
- red 40 (avoid) — Artificial petroleum-derived dye with no purpose in a brown chocolate product; a decisive negative.
- Red 30 (concerning) — Artificial coloring with no nutritional purpose; cosmetic only.
- Yellow 5 (tartrazine) (caution) — Synthetic petroleum-derived dye linked to hyperactivity sensitivity in some children.
- yellow 6 (avoid) — Synthetic azo dye used purely for color.
- blue 1 (avoid) — Artificial dye used to tune color; no nutritional role.
- Titanium dioxide (avoid) — Whitening color agent banned as a food additive in the EU.
Healthier alternatives