Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original

Organic Cheddar Squares Original

0Avoid

Breakdown

Ultra-processed · 6 contaminants flagged · 1 ingredient to watch

Includes lab results from its product family: Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies & Squares (wheat base)

100

Lab-measured contaminants

Measured against published safety limits

−100

glycidyl esters−39

3-mcpd−15

cadmium−15

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dehp)−15

acrylamide−12

arsenic−4

Ingredients

−4

non-animal enzymes−4

Processing

−10

NOVA 4: ultra-processed−10

Packaging

−1

Packaging−1

Credits

+5

Certified organic+5

Adjustments

What it takes to land on the final number

+10

Minimum score+10

Final score0

Contaminants · 8

5 at/over limit

From lab tests of this product’s family

Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies & Squares (wheat base)

This product wasn’t tested · results may differ

In the family’s tests: measured by an independent lab and compared against published safety limits.

Glycidyl Esters67 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 11×EU maximum level, Commission Reg. (EU) 2023/915 Annex I (point 5.3.3.2, carried over from Reg. (EU) 2020/1322) — glycidyl fatty acid esters expressed as glycidol, 6.0 ug/kg in liquid infant formula, follow-on formula and FSMP. Applied to all foods as the TIGHTEST published GE number. Looser EU levels not adopted: powdered infant formula 50 ug/kg; vegetable oils and fats placed on the market for the final consumer 1,000 ug/kg (500 ug/kg when destined for baby food).

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

Cadmium23 ppbof 5 ppb

Over the limit — 4.6×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)27 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 4.5×US EPA drinking-water MCL, 40 CFR 141.61(c) — 0.006 mg/L. Applied to all foods as the TIGHTEST published DEHP number; the EU food-contact limit is looser (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442: SML 0.6 mg/kg, plus the 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalent group limit with DBP/BBP/DIBP).

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

3-mcpd50 ppbof 12 ppb

Over the limit — 4.2×EU maximum level, Commission Reg. (EU) 2023/915 Annex I as amended by Reg. (EU) 2024/1003 (point 5.3.3.2) — sum of 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD fatty acid esters expressed as 3-MCPD, 12 ug/kg in liquid infant formula, follow-on formula and FSMP (cut from 15). Applied to all foods as the TIGHTEST published 3-MCPD number. Looser EU levels not adopted: powdered infant formula 80 ug/kg; free 3-MCPD in hydrolysed vegetable protein and soy sauce 20 ug/kg; vegetable oils and fats for the final consumer 1,250 ug/kg.

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

Acrylamide103 ppbof 40 ppb

Over the limit — 2.6×EU benchmark level, Commission Reg. (EU) 2017/2158 Annex IV — 40 ug/kg for baby foods and processed cereal-based foods for infants and young children (other than biscuits and rusks), the tightest benchmark in the regulation. Applied to all foods as the TIGHTEST published acrylamide number. EU benchmarks are mitigation-performance indicators, not legal maximum levels; looser category benchmarks not adopted include potato crisps 750, crackers 400, biscuits and wafers 350, breakfast cereals 150-300, roast coffee 400 ug/kg. No FDA or EPA food concentration limit exists.

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

Arsenic5.13 ppbof 10 ppb

51% of the limitFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.010 mg/L (= EPA MCL)

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

LeadNDof 5 ppb

Not detectedFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

MercuryNDof 2 ppb

Not detectedFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.002 mg/L

Measured in: Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers

Ingredients · 13

GoodCautionAvoid

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Healthier swaps

Same shelf, cleaner ingredients

Almond Flour Crackers Rosemary & Sea Salt

Simple Mills

Organic SuperSeed Seaweed & Black Sesame Crackers

Mary's Gone Crackers

Organic Honey Graham Crackers

Annie's

Almond Flour Crackers Fine Ground Sea Salt

Simple Mills

Multi-Grain 6-Seed Crunchy Baked Rice Crackers

Crunchmaster

Organic Super Seed Everything Crackers

Mary's Gone Crackers

Organic Sea Salt & Chive Artisan Baked Crackers

FIREHOOK

Lightly Salted Rice Cakes

Quaker

Browse Crackers

Common questions

Is Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original healthy?

Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original scores 0/100 on Tallow — our avoid band. That number comes from what is on the label: the ingredients, how processed it is, and what it is packaged in, plus lab results from its product family, Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies & Squares (wheat base). It is not a verdict on your diet — Tallow does not weigh calories, portion size or how often you eat it, so a high score means the ingredients are clean, not that the food is unlimited.

What is in Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original?

Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original lists 13 ingredients, starting with Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Expeller-pressed Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Organic Cheddar Cheese and Pasteurized Organic Milk. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few make up most of what you are eating.

Does Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original contain seed oils?

Yes. Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original lists Organic Expeller-pressed Sunflower Oil in its ingredients.

How processed is Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original?

Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original is NOVA group 4: ultra-processed. That is the top of the scale and the classification the score penalises most heavily.

How does Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original compare to other crackers?

At 0/100 Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original scores worse than most crackers we have scored. A higher-scoring option in crackers is Mary's Gone Crackers Organic Super Seed Everything Crackers at 100/100.

Is Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original organic?

Yes. Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original carries USDA Organic certification, which is worth +5 points in the score above.

Has Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original been lab tested?

Not this product itself. It shares a base recipe (Organic wheat flour, sunflower oil, organic cheddar and milk; no cocoa, rice or cinnamon) with the other products in its family, Annie's Organic Cheddar Bunnies & Squares (wheat base), and 1 product in its family has been lab tested. This product is scored with the worst result for each contaminant across those tests. Those results are in the family's Contaminants section above; its own results may differ.

Does Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original contain heavy metals?

Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original itself has not been tested for heavy metals, but other products in its family, which share its base recipe, have: a lab detected arsenic at 5.13 ppb against a 10 ppb limit in Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers and cadmium at 23 ppb against a 5 ppb limit in Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers. This product is scored with the worst result for each contaminant across those tests. Its own results may differ.

Does Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original contain phthalates?

Annie's Organic Cheddar Squares Original itself has not been tested for phthalates, but other products in its family, which share its base recipe, have: a lab detected DEHP at 27 ppb against a 6 ppb limit in Organic Cheddar Bunnies Baked Snack Crackers. This product is scored with the worst result for each contaminant across those tests. Its own results may differ.

Full methodology: how we score products.

More in Crackers

Artisan Baked Crackers Rosemary Sea Salt

FIREHOOK

Organic Whole Grain Rice Cakes, Chia & Quinoa, 120 g

RiceUP!

Dark Rye Crispbread

Ryvita

Cracked Black Pepper Almond Flour Crackers

Simple Mills

Mini Bruschette Garlic & Herbs

MELIORA

Almond Flour Crackers Farmhouse Cheddar

Simple Mills