Product Focus: Hamburger Helper

This month's product focus is on Hamburger Helper® - Stroganoff Flavor. Manufacturer: Betty Crocker/General Mills.

With 44 separate ingredients listed on the package, Hamburger Helper Stroganoff immediately sends up red flags. In summary, this is a highly processed "food" that requires the addition of several nutrients to replace a small portion of the nutrients found in the original food items.
  • Several of the ingredients in this product may contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) even though this is not listed (or required to be listed) on the package. Specifically, hydrolyzed ingredients, citric acid, maltodextrin, and autolyzed yeast extract may contain monosodium glutamate.

  • Hydrogenated ingredients contain trans fats which raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. Two are listed on the ingredients: partially hydrogenated soybean oil and cottonseed oil.

  • Two of the ingredients - Disodium Guanylate and Disodium Inosinate - are not allowed to be sold in foods consumed by young children and infants due to the possibility that they may trigger gout.

  • Ingredients such as "natural flavor and "artificial color", both listed on the package, are not regulated by the FDA beyond assurance that the chemicals in the coloring or flavoring are "generally recognized as safe", a designation open to arbitrary interpretation. Failure to identify specific flavorings and colorings is in itself a red flag. Further, recent citations by the General Accounting Office have strongly implied that the FDA has little or no interest in implementing a food safety program (GAO-08-909T), providing adequate food labeling oversight (GAO-08-597), or even providing fresh produce safety (GAO-08-1047).

  • Several componenets within this product contain wheat, soy, corn, and animal protein components or derivatives or may be affected by equipment or processes that are themselves affected, and may be hazardous to those with allergies to these ingredients.

Ingredients List

Enriched Pasta
   Whole Wheat Flour
   Semolina Wheat
   Durum Wheat
   Vitamin D
   Niacin (Vitamin B3)
   Ferrous Sulfate
   Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
   Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
   Folic Acid (B Vitamin)
Whey
Salt
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
   Corn
   Soy
   Wheat
Calcium Carbonate
Artificial Color
Sugar
Lactic Acid
Citric Acid
Maltodextrin
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil
Monoglycerides
Diglycerides
Calcium Lactate
Natural Flavor
Nonfat Milk
Onion Powder
Dried Parsley
Mushroom Powder
Autolyzed Yeast Extract
Spice
Beef Stock
Mushrooms
Dried Corn Syrup
Disodium Guanylate
Disodium Inosinate
Whey Protein Concentrate
Lactose
Garlic Powder
Dried Soy Sauce
   Soybeans
   Wheat
   Salt
Egg

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