Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers

Name: Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers
Brand: Goldfish

0Avoid

Breakdown

Ultra-processed · 7 contaminants flagged · 6 ingredients to avoid

Includes lab results from its product family: Goldfish Cheddar (US enriched wheat base)

100

Lab-measured contaminants

Measured against published safety limits

−100

cadmium−41

glycidyl esters−13

acrylamide−12

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dehp)−11

3-mcpd−10

2 smaller deductions−13

Ingredients

−85

canola oil−23

sunflower and/or soybean−23

folic acid−6

corn maltodextrin−5

oat fiber−5

11 more deductions−23

Processing

−10

NOVA 4: ultra-processed−10

Adjustments

What it takes to land on the final number

+95

Minimum score+95

Final score0

Contaminants · 8

6 at/over limit

From lab tests of this product’s family

Goldfish Cheddar (US enriched 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.

Cadmium45 ppbof 5 ppb

Over the limit — 9×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Measured in: Goldfish Cheddar Baked Snack Crackers, 1 oz (28 g) single-serve bag

Glycidyl Esters14 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 2.3×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: Goldfish CHEDDAR

Acrylamide81 ppbof 40 ppb

Over the limit — 2×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: Goldfish CHEDDAR

Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)10 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 1.7×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).

Measured in: Goldfish CHEDDAR

3-mcpd16 ppbof 12 ppb

Over the limit — 1.3×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: Goldfish CHEDDAR

Lead6 ppbof 5 ppb

Over the limit — 1.2×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Measured in: Goldfish Cheddar Baked Snack Crackers, 1 oz (28 g) single-serve bag

Arsenic3.15 ppbof 10 ppb

32% of the limitFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.010 mg/L (= EPA MCL)

Measured in: Goldfish CHEDDAR

MercuryNDof 2 ppb

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

Measured in: Goldfish CHEDDAR

Ingredients · 24

GoodCautionAvoid

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Common questions

Is Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers healthy?

Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers 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, Goldfish Cheddar (US enriched 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 Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers?

Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers lists 24 ingredients, starting with Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate and Riboflavin. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few make up most of what you are eating.

Does Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers contain seed oils?

Yes. Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers lists Canola Oil in its ingredients.

How processed is Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers?

Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers is NOVA group 4: ultra-processed. That is the top of the scale and the classification the score penalises most heavily.

How does Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers compare to other crackers?

At 0/100 Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers 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 Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers organic?

Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers is not certified organic in our data.

Has Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers been lab tested?

Not this product itself. It shares a base recipe (Enriched wheat flour, cheddar cheese and canola/sunflower/soybean oil; no whole grain, cocoa, rice, cinnamon, nut or protein powder. Flavor-blasted, colors, mega-bite and limited-edition variants share the base.) with the other products in its family, Goldfish Cheddar (US enriched wheat base), and 3 products in its family have 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 Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers contain heavy metals?

Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers 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 3.15 ppb against a 10 ppb limit in Goldfish CHEDDAR, cadmium at 45 ppb against a 5 ppb limit in Goldfish Cheddar Baked Snack Crackers, 1 oz (28 g) single-serve bag and lead at 6 ppb against a 5 ppb limit in Goldfish Cheddar Baked Snack Crackers, 1 oz (28 g) single-serve bag. This product is scored with the worst result for each contaminant across those tests. Its own results may differ.

Does Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers contain phthalates?

Goldfish Mega Bites Sharp Cheddar Crackers itself has not been tested for phthalates, but other products in its family, which share its base recipe, have: a lab detected DEHP at 10 ppb against a 6 ppb limit in Goldfish CHEDDAR. 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.