Wegmans Cannoli Chip & Dip — ENGINEERED

Munch or Dump rates Wegmans Cannoli Chip & Dip by Wegmans ENGINEERED — score 30/90.

A real cannoli is basically ricotta, sugar and a fried shell. This dresses that idea up with three different sweeteners, a palm-oil-and-enriched-flour chip, and a soy-lecithin emulsifier. It tastes great because it was engineered to — sweetness, fat and fast starch layered for maximum craving.

Why this verdict

• Multiple sweeteners detected — sweetness engineered, not simple (dextrose + sugar + stevia extract)
• Hyper-palatable snack triad detected — added sugar + palm oil + enriched wheat flour
• Enriched (refined) flour chip is stripped of nutrients and rebuilt on palm oil for mouthfeel
• Real ricotta and chocolate are in the mix, but so are soy lecithin and undisclosed natural flavor
• High sugar and high saturated fat put this squarely in dessert territory

Ingredients (10)

• Enriched wheat flour (moderate) — Refined flour for the Twix cookie layer.
• Palm Oil (moderate) — Saturated refined oil used for texture and shelf stability.
• Dextrose (caution) — First-listed sugar, so it is the biggest single component.
• Sugar (caution) — The sole sweetener; present in dessert quantities.
• stevia extract (safe) — Natural non-nutritive sweetener.
• eggs (safe) — Real egg — part of the honest base.
• ricotta cheese (safe) — The authentic filling — real ricotta, sugar and vanilla.
• Natural flavor (moderate) — Undisclosed flavoring, typical of a formulated confection.
• Soy Lecithin (safe) — Emulsifier in both chocolate coatings.
• Cocoa Butter (safe) — Natural cocoa fat that gives chocolate its melt.