/ / Utz Baked Cheddar Mini Cheese Balls

Utz Baked Cheddar Mini Cheese Balls

Contains seed oil blend

These baked corn snacks contain real cheese and provide 150 calories per 1 oz bag. They also contain a blend of vegetable oils, artificial flavor and Yellow 5 and 6; the label's saturated-fat-free claim conflicts with its 2.5 g saturated fat per serving.

No synthetic preservativesNo added nitritesNo gums or thickenersGluten-free (label)VegetarianLow sugarContains dairyContains soyContains corn
$15.99 1 oz · lowest price at Utz Quality Foods
Price and stock checked Oct 30, 2026
Key nutrition facts
150caloriesPer serving · 1 bag (28.3g)
Protein
2g
Fiber
<1g▼
Added sugar
0g
Sodium
300mg▼
Saturated fat
2.5g
▲ raises the score · ▼ lowers it · From the product label
Ingredients: corn meal, vegetable oil (cottonseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil and/or safflower oil), whey, maltodextrin, milkfat, semisoft cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), whey protein concentrate, salt, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), buttermilk solids, sodium phosphate, lactic acid, yellow 6, autolyzed yeast extract, yellow 5, butter (cream, salt), disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, artificial flavor, natural flavor
32 / 100
Poor Scored automatically
Weighted as snacks, sweets, dessertsHigh confidence · Scored on 9 of 11 inputs
Nutrition · counts 30%50
Ingredients · counts 30%14
Processing · counts 25%25
Sourcing · counts 5%35
Transparency · counts 10%48
Why it scores 32
Nutrition 50 · Compared with other snacks and sweets: more sodium (300 mg), less fiber (0.5 g); no added sugar per 1 bag
Ingredients 14 · Vegetable oil, 2nd ingredient (seed oil, −18, ClearShelf standard); Yellow 6 (synthetic dye, −15); Yellow 5 (synthetic dye, −15); 6 more
Processing 25 · Corn meal snack with seed oils, artificial flavor and added colors
Sourcing 35 · Refined corn meal and vegetable oils have no stated origin
Transparency 48 · Full list, but oil blend and natural and artificial flavors are nonspecific
Contains a blend of seed oils
Contains Yellow 5 and Yellow 6
Label says saturated-fat-free but lists 2.5 g saturated fat
Evidence behind the Ingredients deductions
Strong evidence−6 for maltodextrin
Moderate, evolving−30 for yellow 6, yellow 5
Varies by additive−32 for added phosphates, artificial flavours, natural flavours and 2 more
ClearShelf standard−18 for vegetable oil · our house standard, not a medical claim
Scored Oct 20, 2026 · Scoring guide v3.1 · Updated Oct 20, 2026 · See what changed

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Better swapsCleaner snacks options that do the same job
Pip's Heirloom Snacks White Cheddar Cheese Balls
75 +43 No a blend of seed oils
Pip's Heirloom Snacks Cheddar Cheese Balls
66 +34 No a blend of seed oils
Similar, for lessSame kind of food, scoring about as well or better, for less than $15.99/oz here
Pip's Heirloom SnacksWhite Cheddar Cheese Balls
75+43
$20.00 · $4.44/oz · 72% less per oz
Pip's Heirloom SnacksCheddar Cheese Balls
66+34
$20.00 · $4.44/oz · 72% less per oz
Ingredients
Corn meal Vegetable oil (cottonseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil and/or safflower oil) Whey Maltodextrin Milkfat Semisoft cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes) Whey protein concentrate Salt Cheddar cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes) Buttermilk solids Sodium phosphate Lactic acid Yellow 6 Autolyzed yeast extract Yellow 5 Butter (cream, salt) Disodium guanylate Disodium inosinate Artificial flavor Natural flavor
20 ingredients 1 to watch6 to avoid
Sourcing

Origin not disclosed on the product page.

Additives10 additives · 4 moderate risk
Yellow 5 (tartrazine) (E102)ColourModerate risk
Linked to hyperactivity in some children in a 2007 UK study, and can cause reactions in sensitive people; EU warning label.
Yellow 6 (sunset yellow) (E110)ColourModerate risk
Linked to hyperactivity in some children in a 2007 UK study; in the EU it must carry a warning label.
Added phosphates (E339–E343, E450–E452)StabiliserModerate risk
Absorbed more readily than natural phosphorus; high intakes are linked to kidney and heart risks, and EFSA set a limit in 2019.
Artificial flavoursFlavouringModerate risk
Undisclosed synthetic compounds; the FDA delisted seven synthetic flavours in 2018 after cancer findings in animals.
Seed oilFatLimited risk
ClearShelf standard: we lower the Ingredients score when seed oils are used. This is our house standard, not a medical claim. Research is mixed; major health groups have not found harm at typical intakes.
MaltodextrinFillerLimited risk
Highly processed starch that raises blood sugar quickly and adds no nutrition.
Natural flavoursFlavouringLimited risk
An undisclosed mix of extracts and carriers; the label doesn’t say what’s in it or how it was made.
Disodium inosinate or guanylate (E627, E631)Flavour enhancerLimited risk
Usually paired with MSG; a source of purines, which people with gout are told to limit.
Yeast extract or hydrolysed proteinFlavour enhancerLimited risk
Contains free glutamate, the flavour-enhancing part of MSG, without being labelled as MSG.
Lactic acid (E270)AcidNo risk
Made by fermentation; considered safe.
Matched from the ingredient list. Risk levels summarise findings from EFSA, the FDA, IARC and published studies; they explain a concern, not a diagnosis.

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