The back of the pack
Ingredients
277 extras and everyday foods, written so you can decide in the aisle.
277 ingredients
Amaranth
Azo dye. Banned in the US; we treat it as high concern.
High concern
BHA
We treat it as high concern. There are calmer ways to keep fat fresh.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
BHT
High concern. Banned in some beauty formulas. You don’t need it in a biscuit.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
Bronopol
Formaldehyde-releaser and nitrosamine risk.
High concern
Butylparaben
High concern. Easy to shop around.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
Coal tar
Medicated-shampoo tar. PAH carcinogen family. Prescription only in our book.
High concern
Cocamide DEA
Foam booster. DEA family. Nitrosamine risk in dirty formulas.
High concern
Diazolidinyl urea
Formaldehyde-releaser. We cap the formula.
High concern
Dibutyl phthalate
Nail-polish plasticiser. Banned in the EU. We treat it as high concern.
High concern
Diethanolamine
Nitrosamine precursor. We skip DEA compounds.
High concern
DMDM hydantoin
High concern, especially on scalps and children’s baths.
High concern · pregnancy · children
DMDM hydantoin
Formaldehyde-releaser. We cap the formula.
High concern
Erythrosine
Red dye. FDA moved to revoke authorisation after thyroid-tumour evidence in animals.
High concern
Formaldehyde
Carcinogen. Banned in leave-on care. A hard no.
High concern
Hydroquinone
Skin-lightener. Prescription-only in many markets. Skip.
High concern
Imidazolidinyl urea
Formaldehyde-releaser.
High concern
Lilial
Restricted in European beauty. A common allergen. High concern.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Paired with MI. High-concern preservative.
High concern
Methylisothiazolinone
A well-known contact allergen. High concern in leave-on, still a flag in rinse-off.
High concern · pregnancy · children
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative. EU leave-on ban.
High concern
Methylparaben
May mimic hormone signals. We treat leave-on parabens as high concern.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
Oxybenzone
Soaks in. We flag it for pregnancy, children, and reef travel. Wear sun protection either way — just pick a calmer filter when you can.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
p-Phenylenediamine
Permanent hair dye. Strong sensitiser. We cap it.
High concern
Phthalates
Plasticiser family. Endocrine disruption. Skip the whole class.
High concern
Potassium nitrate
Nitrate in cured meat. Same family as nitrites.
High concern
Potassium nitrite
Cured-meat nitrite. Same ceiling as E250.
High concern
Propylparaben
More of the hormone-signal question than the short-chain cousins. High concern on our list.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
Quaternium-15
Formaldehyde-releaser. Strong contact allergen.
High concern
Resorcinol
Hair-dye coupler. Endocrine and allergen flags.
High concern
Sodium nitrate
Same family as nitrite. A sometimes food.
High concern · pregnancy · children
Sodium nitrite
Processed meats with nitrite are the ones to eat rarely — the concern is bowel cancer in that pattern, not one sandwich.
High concern · pregnancy · children
Titanium dioxide
Whitener. Banned as a food additive in the EU. Genotoxicity concerns at the nanoparticle size used in food.
High concern
Triclocarban
Antibacterial soap additive. Endocrine and environment flags. Skip.
High concern
Triclosan
We don’t need it on ordinary skin or teeth. High concern.
High concern · hormones · pregnancy · children
Acesulfame K
Long-term questions linger. Fine as a rare diet drink, not as a personality.
Worth watching
Allura red AC
Widely used, often flagged for children. You can live without red cereal.
Worth watching · children
Aluminum chlorohydrate
Antiperspirant salt. We flag aluminium in leave-on underarm care.
Worth watching
Aluminum zirconium
Stronger antiperspirant salt. Same aluminium flag.
Worth watching
Ammonium lauryl sulfate
Harsh sulphate cleanser. Same family as SLS.
Worth watching
Aspartame
People with PKU — a rare condition — must avoid it. For everyone else, a sometimes extra, not a health drink.
Worth watching · pregnancy · children
Aspartame-acesulfame salt
Two sweeteners bonded. Counts as a stack.
Worth watching
Azorubine
Banned in some places. A look, not a food.
Worth watching · children
Benzalkonium chloride
Quaternary disinfectant on wipes. Irritant and a contact allergen.
Worth watching
BHA
Synthetic antioxidant. Endocrine questions. Same as food E320.
Worth watching
Brilliant black BN
Azo dye. We mark it with the other azo colours.
Worth watching
Brilliant blue FCF
Synthetic dye. Hyperactivity concern in sensitive children when stacked with other azo colours.
Worth watching
Carrageenan
Some people find it rough on the gut. Debate continues; we treat it as worth watching.
Worth watching
CI 19140
A dye. Skin and children don’t need yellow lotion.
Worth watching · children
Cyclamate
Restricted in some countries. We treat it as worth watching.
Worth watching
Cyclomethicone
Volatile silicone. D4/D5 environmental and absorption questions.
Worth watching
Cyclopentasiloxane
Questions about persistence in the environment. Skin usually tolerates it.
Worth watching
Diethyl phthalate
Fragrance solvent. The milder phthalate; we still mark it.
Worth watching
Ethylparaben
Food paraben. Same endocrine family we flag in leave-on care.
Worth watching
Gluten
The protein in wheat, barley, and rye. Harmless for most people. For coeliac disease and some wheat allergies it is the whole question — we flag it when the recipe we have lists it, and you still read the pack.
Worth watching
Green S
Synthetic green. Not used in the US; we flag it.
Worth watching
Hexamethylene tetramine
Formaldehyde donor used in some cheeses. We flag it.
Worth watching
Homosalate
We group it with the chemical filters to watch.
Worth watching · hormones · pregnancy · children
Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate
Preservative. Iodine sensitiser; leave-on limits.
Worth watching
Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate
Food-grade methylparaben. We mark the family.
Worth watching
Neotame
High-intensity sweetener.
Worth watching
Octinoxate
Same advice as oxybenzone: effective, and not our first pick for kids or pregnancy.
Worth watching · hormones · pregnancy · children
Patent blue V
Blue dye. Allergy reports; we mark it.
Worth watching
PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil
Worth watching. PEGs can carry impurities depending on how they’re made. Not the worst extra, not a treat.
Worth watching
Phenoxyethanol
Generally accepted at low levels. We still flag it for pregnancy as extra care, not a panic.
Worth watching · pregnancy · children
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifier used in ice cream and injections. Gut-barrier research is enough for us to mark it.
Worth watching
Ponceau 4R
Potential allergen. Not a fruit.
Worth watching · children
Potassium metabisulphite
Wine and dried-fruit sulphite. Asthma trigger for some.
Worth watching
Propyl gallate
Synthetic antioxidant in fats. We flag it.
Worth watching
Propylene glycol
Fine in tiny cream doses for most. In kibble it is a warehouse trick we don’t love.
Worth watching
Quinoline yellow
Restricted in some countries. A look, not a nutrient.
Worth watching · children
Retinol
Skip in pregnancy. Use at night. Wear sun care. Fragrance does not belong in the same bottle.
Worth watching · pregnancy · children
Salicylic acid
Skip high leave-on doses in pregnancy unless your clinician says otherwise.
Worth watching · pregnancy · children
Selenium sulfide
Anti-dandruff active. Useful, not a daily leave-on.
Worth watching
Sodium aluminium phosphate
Aluminium in baking powder. We flag the metal.
Worth watching
Sodium aluminosilicate
Anti-caking with aluminium. Salt and spice jars.
Worth watching
Sodium benzoate
Can form benzene with vitamin C in some beverages. Also tied to restlessness when paired with dyes.
Worth watching
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Can irritate faces, scalps and mouths. You can get clean without the squeak.
Worth watching · children
Sodium metabisulphite
Sulphite. EU allergen. Dried fruit and wine.
Worth watching
Sodium sulphite
Sulphite. EU allergen. Dried fruit, wine, shrimp.
Worth watching
Sulphur dioxide
A known asthma trigger. Packs must flag it above a small amount.
Worth watching
Sunset yellow FCF
Another dye tied to children’s behaviour in some studies.
Worth watching · children
Tartrazine
Linked to restlessness in some children. You don’t need yellow food to be yellow.
Worth watching · children
TBHQ
Synthetic antioxidant in frying oils and packaged snacks. EFSA ADI is tight; we flag it.
Worth watching
Alcohol denat.
Drying. Fine in a hair spray you don’t live in; rough as a face mist all day.
Low concern · pregnancy · children
Ammonia caramel
May carry traces of a compound you don’t want a lot of. The brown is not flavour.
Low concern
Annatto
Natural orange colour. Occasional allergy.
Low concern
Benzoic acid
Preservative. Can form benzene with ascorbic acid in drinks.
Low concern
Benzyl alcohol
Low-to-moderate concern. Some people react.
Low concern
BHT
Synthetic antioxidant in lipstick and mascara. Same as food E321.
Low concern
Calcium disodium EDTA
Chelator in mayo and canned beans.
Low concern
Calcium phosphates
Anti-caking and a calcium salt in tablets and cheese.
Low concern
Calcium propionate
Keeps sliced bread from moulding. We note it; we don’t panic.
Low concern
Carboxymethyl cellulose
Some research flags gut effects at high doses. A sometimes extra.
Low concern
Carmine
Not vegan. A possible allergen.
Low concern
Citronellol
A labelled allergen in Europe for a reason.
Low concern
Cocamidopropyl betaine
A contact allergen for some. Middle of the road.
Low concern
Cocamidopropyl betaine
Milder surfactant. Impurity allergy possible.
Low concern
DATEM
Bread emulsifier. A factory loaf tell.
Low concern
Dimethylpolysiloxane
Anti-foam in fryer oil and soda. A silicone.
Low concern
Diphosphates
A marker of factory food more than a poison. The company they keep is the issue.
Low concern
Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides
Stacked with MSG in cubes and noodles.
Low concern
Disodium guanylate
Flavour enhancer stacked with MSG.
Low concern
Disodium inosinate
Flavour enhancer stacked with MSG.
Low concern
Erythritol
Sugar alcohol in ‘light’ ice cream. Gut upset in high amounts.
Low concern
Fragrance
Leave-on fragrance is the issue — lotion, deodorant, sunscreen. A scented soap is less of a story.
Low concern · children
Geraniol
Common allergen.
Low concern
Glucose-fructose syrup
Your body treats it much like sugar. The nutrition box already counts it.
Low concern
Glutamic acid
The parent of MSG. We count it with the glutamate stack.
Low concern
Glycerol esters of wood rosin
Clouding agent in citrus sodas.
Low concern
Glycolic acid
AHA. Sun care required.
Low concern
Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate
Modified starch in sauces and frozen meals. A UPF tell.
Low concern
Indigo carmine
Blue dye. Limited concern at typical use.
Low concern
Iron oxides
Mineral colour in coatings and olives. Fine at typical use.
Low concern
Konjac
Root fibre. Choking risk in sweets; ordinary as a thickener.
Low concern
L-cysteine
Dough relaxer. Sometimes from hair or feathers; often fermented now.
Low concern
Limonene
Allergen when oxidised on the shelf. Pretty, not useful.
Low concern
Linalool
A common allergen once it sits on skin and meets air.
Low concern
Maltitol
Sugar alcohol in ‘no sugar added’ chocolate.
Low concern
Mannitol
Sugar alcohol. Laxative in high amounts.
Low concern
Mineral oil
Petroleum emollient. Harmless on skin; we mark the origin.
Low concern
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
Not a high-concern extra. A sign the recipe needed help staying together.
Low concern
Monopotassium glutamate
MSG cousin. Same flavour-enhancer family.
Low concern
Monosodium glutamate
Safe for most. A few people report a reaction; most do not.
Low concern
Natamycin
Low concern for most people.
Low concern
Natamycin
Antifungal on cheese rinds. Not eaten in quantity.
Low concern
Natural flavouring
Not a toxin. A sign the recipe needed a perfume. You cannot tell what is inside from the words.
Low concern
Octisalate
Chemical UV filter. Lower concern than oxybenzone; still a filter we list.
Low concern
Octocrylene
Chemical UV filter. Can degrade to benzophenone.
Low concern
Palm oil
High in saturated fat. The other cost is landscape. A daily chocolate spread is both stories at once.
Low concern
PEG-100 stearate
PEG emulsifier. Possible 1,4-dioxane impurity.
Low concern
Petrolatum
Occlusive jelly. Fine if refined; we note the petroleum origin.
Low concern
Phosphoric acid
A diet of cola is a lot of phosphate — not kind to bones if it crowds out milk and greens.
Low concern
Polydextrose
Synthetic fibre filler in protein bars and diet ice cream.
Low concern
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate
Low concern chemically. A clue the bar is built for machines.
Low concern
Polyphosphates
Phosphate family.
Low concern
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifier. Same family as polysorbate 80; we mark the stack.
Low concern
Polysorbate 20
Fragrance solubiliser. PEG family; we note it.
Low concern
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifier in ice cream and creamers.
Low concern
Potassium benzoate
Same family as sodium benzoate.
Low concern
Potassium phosphates
Phosphate in processed cheese and drinks. We count the family.
Low concern
Propylene glycol
Humectant in food flavourings and some cleaners. We note it.
Low concern
Retinyl palmitate
Vitamin A ester. Extra sun care; skip high leave-on in pregnancy.
Low concern
Saccharin
Old cancer scares in rats did not show up the same way in people. Still a sometimes extra.
Low concern
Salicylic acid
BHA. Extra care in pregnancy at leave-on strengths.
Low concern
Shellac
Insect resin on sweets. Not vegan.
Low concern
Sodium fluoride
Useful in toothpaste at the right dose. Not a cosmetic extra to fear. Follow the pea-size rule with children.
Low concern
Sodium laureth sulfate
Still stripping. Fine for some; too much for others.
Low concern
Sodium phosphates
Fine in a recipe. A problem as a daily pour of cola.
Low concern
Sodium propionate
Bread preservative. Same job as calcium propionate.
Low concern
Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate
Soft-bread emulsifier. Same factory tell as DATEM.
Low concern
Sorbitan monostearate
Emulsifier in yeast and chocolate.
Low concern
Sorbitol
Too much is a laxative. That’s the warning on the pack.
Low concern
Starch sodium octenyl succinate
Modified starch used to carry flavour oils.
Low concern
Sucralose
Holds up in the bottle; less lovely when baked hot. Gut questions exist at high doses.
Low concern
Sugar
Not a toxin. A teaspoon is a teaspoon. The issue is how many hide in drinks and breakfast.
Low concern
Sulphite ammonia caramel
A colouring, not a caramel you would make at home.
Low concern
Tetrasodium EDTA
Chelator in soaps and detergents. Environmental persistence.
Low concern
Titanium dioxide
A keep on skin. Inhaled powders are a different question — don’t breathe spray SPF.
Low concern
Triethanolamine
pH adjuster. Nitrosamine risk if the formula is dirty.
Low concern
Triphosphates
Phosphate in processed meat.
Low concern
Xylitol
Sugar alcohol. Toxic to dogs.
Low concern
Zinc pyrithione
Anti-dandruff. EU rinse-off restrictions; we list it.
Low concern
Acetic acid
It’s vinegar. No drama.
No concern
Agar
Seaweed gel. A keep.
No concern
Almonds
A tree nut. A one-ingredient butter is a keep. A 2% almond drink is mostly water.
No concern
Aloe vera
A keep for most. A rare latex-adjacent allergy exists.
No concern
Alpha-tocopherol
Vitamin E antioxidant. A keep in food and care.
No concern
Ammonium carbonates
Fine in baked goods. You won’t taste the chemistry class.
No concern
Anthocyanins
A keep.
No concern
Ascorbic acid
A keep. Not a concern at food levels.
No concern
Avobenzone
UVA filter. Common in hybrids.
No concern
Azelaic acid
Blemish acid. A keep.
No concern
Bakuchiol
Plant retinol-like. A keep for many.
No concern
Beef
Named beef beats ‘meat meal’.
No concern
Beeswax
Hive wax on fruit, chocolate, and mascara. Not vegan.
No concern
Bisabolol
Chamomile soother. A keep.
No concern
Calcium carbonate
Chalk. Anti-caking and a calcium salt.
No concern
Calcium chloride
A keep at food doses. Not the same as calcium you eat for bones in any useful amount.
No concern
Caprylic/capric triglyceride
A keep for most skins.
No concern
Caprylyl glycol
Mild preservative and humectant. A keep.
No concern
Carbon dioxide
No concern. It’s the sparkle, not the sugar.
No concern
Carnauba wax
Palm-leaf wax on fruit and sweets.
No concern
Carotenes
A keep.
No concern
Cashews
A tree nut. Serious if you can’t eat them, useful protein if you can.
No concern
Celery
A labelled allergen in Europe.
No concern
Cellulose
Fibre filler. Harmless.
No concern
Ceramide NP
Skin-barrier lipid. A keep.
No concern
Cetearyl alcohol
A keep. Different family from denatured alcohol.
No concern
Cetyl alcohol
A keep.
No concern
Cheddar
Real cheese is a sometimes food with a straight face. Processed slices are a different product.
No concern
Chia seeds
A keep. They are still a garnish, not a protein powder.
No concern
Chicken
Named chicken is the goal. ‘By-product meal’ is a stretch.
No concern
Chlorophylls
Green from plants. A colour, not a concern.
No concern
Cinnamon
A spice. No concern at food doses.
No concern
Citric acid
No health concern at usual levels.
No concern
Cocoa
A keep. Fat content varies; the bar’s sugar is the usual snag.
No concern
Coconut oil
The nutrition box already scores the saturates. ‘Virgin’ does not make it a health oil.
No concern
Coffee
Caffeine is the story, not an additive risk.
No concern
Copper chlorophyll
Low concern.
No concern
Corn
Staple grain. Fine as food; the extras around it usually decide the score.
No concern
Curcumin
A keep. This is food colour from food.
No concern
Decyl glucoside
A keep. The wash we’d put in a family bathroom.
No concern
Dimethicone
Usually well tolerated. A preference extra, not a danger extra.
No concern
Egg
A common allergen. Also not vegan.
No concern
Ethylhexylglycerin
Preservative booster. Usually a keep.
No concern
Fish
An allergen. Named fish is the honest version.
No concern
Fumaric acid
Acid in baking powder and drinks.
No concern
Gelatine
Not vegetarian. Otherwise a food, not a dye.
No concern
Gellan gum
Fermented gum in plant milks. Fine.
No concern
Glucono-delta-lactone
Slow acid in tofu and baking. Fine.
No concern
Glycerin
A keep. One of the most useful extras in a bathroom.
No concern
Glycerol
Low concern in food. Also used in creams.
No concern
Guar gum
Usually fine. A lot of gum in one sitting can bloat.
No concern
Gum arabic
Gum in sweets and drinks.
No concern
Hazelnuts
A tree nut. Delicious if you can eat them, serious if you can’t.
No concern
Honey
Not vegan. Fine as a visible sweetener. A granola glued with honey is still sugar.
No concern
Hyaluronic acid
A keep. It is not magic; it is a well-mannered moisturiser.
No concern
Hyaluronic acid
Humectant. A keep.
No concern
Hydroxyapatite
A keep for people who want a quiet paste. Ask your dentist if you still need fluoride.
No concern
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
Capsule shell and gluten-free binder. Fine.
No concern
Iron oxides (CI 77499)
Black iron oxide. Makeup colour, not a concern.
No concern
Jojoba oil
Wax ester from the seed. A keep.
No concern
Lactic acid
The sour in yogurt, made in tanks. Fine.
No concern
Lecithin
Generally fine. Soy lecithin can matter if you are highly soy-allergic.
No concern
Live cultures
A keep. The cultures are the point. Sugar and thickeners are not.
No concern
Locust bean gum
Thickener from carob seeds.
No concern
Magnesium sulfate
Not a sports drink. Fine in the amounts in a bottle of water.
No concern
Malic acid
Apple acid. Tartness.
No concern
Methyl cellulose
Thickener.
No concern
Milk
A staple for people who digest it. An allergen for people who don’t.
No concern
Mustard
A labelled allergen.
No concern
Niacinamide
A keep at modest percentages. Too much can flush some faces.
No concern
Oats
A keep. Choose certified gluten-free if you are coeliac — oats are often processed near wheat.
No concern
Olive oil
A keep. Use it cold or warm, not smoking-hot, if you bought the good stuff.
No concern
Panthenol
A keep.
No concern
Paprika extract
Orange-red from peppers. A colour, not a concern.
No concern
Peanut
A serious allergen. A two-ingredient peanut butter is a keep for everyone else.
No concern
Pectin
A keep. This is jam-making with a number.
No concern
Plain caramel
The mild caramel colour. E150c/d are the ones we mark.
No concern
Pork
A meat. The processing around it — nitrite, slurry — is the usual issue, not the animal itself.
No concern
Potassium bicarbonate
A mineral salt. Not a sugar, not a stimulant. The water is still water.
No concern
Potassium carbonates
Low concern.
No concern
Potassium sorbate
Rare contact allergy. Otherwise a quiet extra.
No concern
Potato
A keep. The oil and salt around them are the score.
No concern
Propionic acid
Mould stopper in bread. The acid itself is ordinary.
No concern
Pumpkin seeds
A keep. A seed, not a nut.
No concern
Quinoa
A keep. Flakes in granola are still quinoa.
No concern
Riboflavin
Vitamin B2 used as a yellow colour.
No concern
Rice
Staple grain. Whole grain is the better neighbour of white rice.
No concern
Salt
The nutrition box already scores it. A pinch in cooking is not a packet of noodles.
No concern
Sesame
A serious allergen for some, a staple for others.
No concern
Shea butter
A keep. Food-like, in the best way.
No concern
Silicon dioxide
Anti-caking.
No concern
Sodium alginate
Seaweed thickener. Harmless.
No concern
Sodium ascorbate
Low concern. Often sits next to nitrite, which is the real story.
No concern
Sodium carbonates
No toxicological concern. It’s the cupboard jar.
No concern
Sodium citrates
Low concern.
No concern
Sodium erythorbate
Vitamin C cousin. Used with nitrites; not the problem itself.
No concern
Sodium lactate
Salt of lactic acid. Moisture and a mild preservative.
No concern
Sorbic acid
Generally well tolerated at the amounts in food.
No concern
Soy
EU major allergen. Protein source; isolate and concentrate are factory ingredients.
No concern
Spice extract
Usually fine. Celery extracts can matter for celery allergy.
No concern
Squalane
A keep.
No concern
Steviol glycosides
Well studied at usual doses. Taste is the only argument.
No concern
Sunflower oil
A reasonable everyday oil. Not as interesting as olive, calmer than palm.
No concern
Sunflower seeds
A keep. Not a nut, so a useful swap in some nut-free kitchens — still check the pack for cross-contact.
No concern
Tartaric acid
Wine acid. Tartness. Fine.
No concern
Tea
A keep when unsweetened. The bottle that adds sugar is a different product.
No concern
Titanium dioxide (CI 77891)
White pigment. Fine on skin; we treat spray powder separately.
No concern
Tocopherol
A keep. The calmer cousin of BHA.
No concern
Tomato
A keep. Ketchup adds sugar; passata does not.
No concern
Triethyl citrate
Low concern.
No concern
Vanilla
Low concern. Real pod vs vanillin is a taste argument.
No concern
Water
No concern. The best everyday pour.
No concern
Wheat flour
Contains gluten. Otherwise a staple.
No concern
Xanthan gum
Well tolerated except in very high doses.
No concern
Zinc oxide
A keep. White cast is the trade. Worth it.
No concern