Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream

Name: Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream
Brand: Ben & Jerry's

0Avoid

Breakdown

Ultra-processed · 9 contaminants flagged · 3 ingredients to avoid

Includes lab results from its product family: Ben & Jerry's US chocolate-forward pints

100

Lab-measured contaminants

Measured against published safety limits

−53

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dehp)−36

bisphenol a (bpa)−9

dimethylphthalate−5

bpf−1

dibutyl phthalate−1

diisobutyl phthalate−1

Ingredients

−85

corn syrup−51

natural flavor−12

soy lecithin−11

cocoa processed with alkali−4

cocoa−4

carrageenan−3

Processing

−10

NOVA 4: ultra-processed−10

Adjustments

What it takes to land on the final number

+48

Minimum score+48

Final score0

Contaminants · 19

1 at/over limit

Measured by an independent lab and compared against published safety limits.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)20.7 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 3.4×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).

Bisphenol a (BPA)0.93 ppbof 1 ppb

93% of the limitEU Reg. (EU) 2024/3190 — BPA banned in food-contact materials from 20 Jan 2025 (old 0.05 mg/kg SML repealed); the residual exemptions require NO detectable migration at a 1 ug/kg detection limit. 1 ppb is therefore the tightest published number.

Dimethylphthalate4.6 ppbof 10 ppb

46% of the limitDMP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Dibutyl Phthalate11.7 ppbof 120 ppb

10% of the limitEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — DBP SML 0.12 mg/kg (cut from 0.3). Also inside the 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalent group limit (DBP x5).

Bpf0.9 ppbof 10 ppb

9% of the limitNot on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), and Reg. 2024/3190 restricts hazardous bisphenols; no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Diisobutyl Phthalate13 ppbof 150 ppb

9% of the limitEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 2023/1442 group restriction — DBP x5 + DIBP x4 + BBP x0.1 + DEHP <= 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalents, so DIBP alone may not exceed 0.15 mg/kg. DIBP is not itself an authorised substance.

Glyphosate0.42 ppbof 160 ppb

<1% of the limitEWG children's health benchmark 160 ppb (0.01 mg/day in a 60 g serving). EPA tolerance for glyphosate on oats is far higher at 30 ppm (30,000 ppb), 40 CFR 180.364.

Diethylhexyl Adipate0.02 ppmof 18 ppm

<1% of the limitEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — DEHA (FCM 207) SML 18 mg/kg.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) Terephthalate0.0537 ppmof 60 ppm

<1% of the limitEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — DEHT (FCM 798) SML 60 mg/kg, group restriction with DINCH. No tighter published limit exists (EFSA TDI 1 mg/kg bw/day).

Benzylbutyl PhthalateNDof 6 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — BBP SML 6 mg/kg (cut from 30). Also inside the 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalent group limit (BBP x0.1 = 6 mg/kg alone).

BPS (Bisphenol s)NDof 50 ppb

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — BPS (4,4'-sulphonyldiphenol) SML 0.05 mg/kg; BfR applies the same 0.05 mg/kg.

Di-n-octyl PhthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDNOP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Dicyclohexyl PhthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDCHP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

DiethylphthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDEP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Dihexyl PhthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDNHP (di-n-hexyl phthalate, EU Repr. 1B) is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Diisodecyl AdipateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDIDA (diisodecyl adipate) is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Diisodecyl PhthalateNDof 1.8 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — DINP+DIDP group SML 1.8 mg/kg (sum). Applied to each alone.

Diisononyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic AcidNDof 60 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — DINCH (FCM 775) group restriction with DEHT, 60 mg/kg. No tighter published limit exists (EFSA TDI 1 mg/kg bw/day).

Diisononyl ortho PhthalateNDof 1.8 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — DINP+DIDP group SML 1.8 mg/kg (sum). Applied to each alone.

Contaminants · 1

Includes lab tests of other products in its family

Ben & Jerry's US chocolate-forward pints

Worst result per contaminant across the family

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

Glyphosate3.1 ppbof 160 ppb

2% of the limitEWG children's health benchmark 160 ppb (0.01 mg/day in a 60 g serving). EPA tolerance for glyphosate on oats is far higher at 30 ppm (30,000 ppb), 40 CFR 180.364.

Measured in: Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream

Ingredients · 19

GoodCautionAvoid

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Common questions

Is Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream healthy?

Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream 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, Ben & Jerry's US chocolate-forward pints. 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 Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream?

Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream lists 19 ingredients, starting with Cream, Water, Skim Milk, Sugar and Corn Syrup. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few make up most of what you are eating.

Does Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream contain seed oils?

No. Nothing in Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream’s ingredient list matches a seed oil — canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, rice bran or peanut oil, or an unspecified "vegetable oil".

How processed is Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream?

Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream is NOVA group 4: ultra-processed. That is the top of the scale and the classification the score penalises most heavily.

How does Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream compare to other ice cream & frozen desserts?

At 0/100 Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream scores worse than most ice cream & frozen desserts we have scored. A higher-scoring option in ice cream & frozen desserts is Straus Family Creamery Organic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream at 100/100.

Is Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream organic?

Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream is not certified organic in our data.

Has Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream been lab tested?

Yes. 19 substances in Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream have a laboratory result on file — see the Contaminants section above for each reading and the limit it was measured against. Other products in its family (Ben & Jerry's US chocolate-forward pints), which share its base recipe, were lab tested too. This product is scored with the worst result for each contaminant across those tests. Their results are in the family's Contaminants section above.

Does Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream contain glyphosate?

Yes. A lab detected glyphosate at 0.42 ppb against a 160 ppb limit in Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream. That reading is under its limit. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above. Other products in its family, which share its base recipe, were tested too: a lab detected glyphosate at 3.1 ppb against a 160 ppb limit in Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream. This product is scored with the worst result for each contaminant across those tests.

Does Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream contain phthalates?

Yes. A lab detected DEHP at 20.7 ppb against a 6 ppb limit, dibutyl phthalate at 11.7 ppb against a 120 ppb limit, diisobutyl phthalate at 13 ppb against a 150 ppb limit and dimethylphthalate at 4.6 ppb against a 10 ppb limit in Ben & Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream. It tested for 7 other phthalates and found none above its detection limit. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above.

Full methodology: how we score products.