Talking Carts 17: CR Investigation Reveals High Levels of Additives and Contaminants in Snacks

For many of us summer road trips are the stuff of snacking dreams: the backseat of the family car, the siblings, and the stash of snacks you can’t wait to break into. 

But the beloved snack you think of as a guilty pleasure could have some questionable ingredients.

A new investigation from Consumer Reports and Yuka, the app that helps consumers decipher food and cosmetics labels, found concerning levels of additives and contaminants in snacks. After testing 40 popular grocery products, including snack cakes, gummy candies, and soft drinks, for eight additives and two contaminants, we found that a third contain more than some public health agencies have identified as safe for adults or kids to consume daily.

Investigative journalist Paris Martineau joins the podcast and tackles the tough questions about food formulations, including why American standards differ from those in other countries, where the Food and Drug Administration is dropping the ball, and what you can actually do to demand better for your health.

Join us: This episode of Talking Carts unwraps findings that just might change how you navigate the snack aisle.