Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs

Name: Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs
Brand: Gerber

0Avoid

Breakdown

Ultra-processed · 7 contaminants flagged · 5 ingredients to avoid

100

Contaminants

Substances that do not belong in food

−91

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dehp)−48

inorganic arsenic−19

cadmium−11

lead−8

arsenic−5

Ingredients

−66

high oleic sunflower oil−24

maltodextrin−6

flavor−6

autolyzed yeast extract−5

vitamins−5

12 more deductions−20

Processing

−10

NOVA 4: ultra-processed−10

Adjustments

What it takes to land on the final number

+67

Minimum score+67

Final score0

Contaminants · 12

2 at/over limit

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

Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)52 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 8.7×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).

Cadmium5.33 ppbof 5 ppb

Over the limit — 1.1×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Lead4.01 ppbof 5 ppb

80% of the limitFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Arsenic4.97 ppbof 10 ppb

50% of the limitFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.010 mg/L (= EPA MCL)

Diethylhexyl Adipate0.025 ppmof 18 ppm

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

Di (2-ethylhexyl) Terephthalate0.064 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).

Inorganic Arsenic4.01 ppbfound

Detected · no published limit

Bisphenol a (BPA)NDof 1 ppb

Not detectedEU 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 (EU) 2024/3190 — BPA banned in food-contact materials from 20 Jan 2025 (old 0.05 mg/kg SML repealed); the residual exemptions require NO detectable migration at a 1 ug/kg detection limit. 1 ppb is therefore the tightest published number.

Dibutyl PhthalateNDof 120 ppb

Not detectedEU 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).

Diisobutyl PhthalateNDof 150 ppb

Not detectedEU 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.

DimethylphthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDMP 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.

MercuryNDof 2 ppb

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

Ingredients · 23

GoodCautionAvoid

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Nutrition facts

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per serving
Calories	500 kcal	35 kcal
Fat	28.57 g	2 g
Carbohydrates	57.14 g	4 g
Protein	0 g	0 g
Sodium	0.5 g	0.04 g

Browse Baby & Toddler Snacks

Common questions

Is Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs healthy?

Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs 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. Per serving it carries 0g protein. 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 Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs?

Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs lists 23 ingredients, starting with Sorghum Meal, Yellow Cornmeal, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Cheese and Seasoning. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few make up most of what you are eating.

How many calories are in Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs?

35 kcal per serving, or 500 kcal per 100g. Calories are only part of the picture — Tallow scores Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs on what the ingredients are, not how many calories they carry.

Does Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs contain seed oils?

Yes. Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs lists High Oleic Sunflower Oil in its ingredients.

How processed is Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs?

Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs is NOVA group 4: ultra-processed. That is the top of the scale and the classification the score penalises most heavily.

How does Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs compare to other baby & toddler snacks?

At 0/100 Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs scores worse than most baby & toddler snacks we have scored. A higher-scoring option in baby & toddler snacks is Amara Organic Yogurt Smoothie Melts Mango Carrot at 100/100.

Is Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs organic?

Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs is not certified organic in our data.

Has Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs been lab tested?

Yes. 12 substances in Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs have a laboratory result on file — see the Contaminants section above for each reading and the limit it was measured against.

Does Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs contain heavy metals?

Yes. A lab detected lead at 4.01 ppb against a 5 ppb limit, arsenic at 4.97 ppb against a 10 ppb limit, inorganic arsenic at 4.01 ppb and cadmium at 5.33 ppb against a 5 ppb limit in Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs. It also tested for mercury and found none above its detection limit. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above.

Does Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs contain phthalates?

Yes. A lab detected DEHP at 52 ppb against a 6 ppb limit in Gerber Lil' Crunchies Mild Cheddar Puffs. It tested for 3 other phthalates and found none above its detection limit. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above.

Full methodology: how we score products.