[[{“value”:”Whether you’re team “savory” or team “sweet,” snack time is arguably a high point of each day that many of us eagerly look forward to. Sure, many snacks contain extra calories, but when you place goodies on a pedestal, they can be hard to resist.
But excess calories aren’t the only thing to be mindful of when it comes to packaged snacks and treats. Some of these products have been tested and found to contain certain contaminants. Research defines contaminants as chemical, biological, allergenic, radiological, or physical substances found in food. They can get into food during the natural growth process, through packaging, or during the high-heat manufacturing process.
Consumer Reports recently flagged 14 popular snacks, including Lay’s, Goldfish, and Doritos, for contaminant levels above its own benchmarks. Here’s what CR found, and what a doctor says it means
The Research
Consumer Reports tested 21 common kids’ snacks for phthalates, process contaminants, and heavy metals, and discovered some options you may want to think twice about adding to your shopping cart. CR’s August 2026 findings showed that 14 out of 21 products tested contained “concerning levels” of at least one contaminant (e.g., acrylamide, glycidyl esters, DEHP, cadmium). However, 7 of the 21 products stayed below CR’s levels of concern.
In CR’s tests, each snack below contained at least one contaminant above CR’s level of concern. Note that CR’s levels are its own health-based benchmarks, not FDA limits, and CR says no legal judgments can be made from its findings. CR tested two to three samples of each product from different lots and based its serving advice on one label serving per day. CR also calls its results a snapshot: changes in formulation or packaging could change the levels in what’s on shelves now
“Consumer Reports’ benchmarks are generally more conservative than regulatory limits and are intended as public-health screening tools to identify products that may warrant attention. Since modern analytical methods can detect very small amounts of chemicals in food, exceeding Consumer Reports’ benchmark does not automatically mean that a product violates FDA regulations or that consuming it will cause adverse health effects. Rather, it suggests that the product may contribute to overall exposure, particularly when consumed frequently,” explains Tetyana Cheairs, M.D., M.S.P.H., Associate Dean for Ph.D Programs, Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College.
Before diving in, let’s explore the specific contaminants found in certain snack products.
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Acrylamide
According to Dr. Cheairs, acrylamide can form in foods when they are cooked at a high temperature—especially during frying, roasting, and baking.
“It has caused cancer in experimental animals, but the evidence that dietary exposure causes cancer in humans remains inconclusive,” Dr. Cheairs explains.
Based on the levels CR found in the products tested, CR recommended limiting these snacks to just “an occasional treat.”
Glycidyl Esters (GE)
Glycidyl esters are processing contaminants that can form during the refining of vegetable oils, due to the high temperature.
“During digestion, they can release glycidol, which has demonstrated genotoxic (DNA-damaging) and carcinogenic properties,” Dr. Cheairs explains. Those effects have been shown mainly in animal studies.
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DEHP
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer which can enter food by coming into contact with certain materials, including packaging.
“In experimental animals, DEHP produced reproductive and developmental toxicity. However, human evidence is more limited,” Dr. Cheairs tells us.
Cadmium
Cadmium is a heavy metal that naturally occurs in the environment, Dr. Cheairs says. It can enter food via water, soil, and agricultural practices.
“It can accumulate in the kidney and has a long half-life. Thus, long-term exposures to cadmium can cause damage to the kidneys and may also affect bones,” Dr. Cheairs adds.
The Findings
CR grouped the flagged snacks by how often it suggests eating them. They’re listed below from CR’s strictest advice to its mildest, then by acrylamide per serving. Only contaminants above CR’s level of concern are shown.
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, Oats ‘n Honey
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 42 grams (2 bars)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
10.1 mcg acrylamide
0.62 mcg glycidyl esters (GE)
CR’s advice: Serve very rarely (at most twice a month).
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Lay’s Classic Potato Chips
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 28 grams (Around 15 chips)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
7.37 mcg acrylamide
1.53 mcg GE
CR’s advice: Serve very rarely (at most twice a month).
Snyder’s of Hanover Mini Pretzels
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 28 grams (Around 19 pretzels)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
4.48 mcg acrylamide
CR’s advice: Serve very rarely (at most twice a month)
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Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 30 grams (51 crackers)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
3.09 mcg acrylamide
2.01 mcg GE
0.81 mcg DEHP
CR’s advice: Serve very rarely (at most twice a month).
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Cheddar Crackers
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 30 grams (55 pieces)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
2.43 mcg acrylamide
CR’s advice: Serve rarely (at most a few times a month).
Nabisco Wheat Thins, Original
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 31 grams (16 pieces)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
2.03 mcg acrylamide
CR’s advice: Serve rarely (at most a few times a month).
Takis Fuego Rolled Tortilla Chips
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 28 grams (Around 12 pieces)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
1.99 mcg acrylamide
3.41 mcg GE
CR’s advice: Serve rarely (at most a few times a month).
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Clif Zbar, Chocolate Chip
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 36 grams (1 bar)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
1.66 mcg acrylamide
1.39 mcg GE
0.74 mcg DEHP
CR’s advice: Serve rarely (at most a few times a month).
Doritos Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 28 grams (Around 11 chips)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
1.47 mcg acrylamide
2.85 mcg GE
CR’s advice: Serve rarely (at most a few times a month).
Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 30 grams (8 crackers or 2 full cracker sheets)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
1.29 mcg acrylamide
CR’s advice: Limit consumption (don’t eat them every day).
Quaker Chewy Bars, Chocolate Chip
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 24 grams (1 bar)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
1.02 mcg acrylamide
CR’s advice: Limit consumption (don’t eat them every day).
Gimme Roasted Seaweed Snacks, Sea Salt
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 5 grams (1 5-g package or 1/2 10-g package)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
4.48 mcg cadmium
0.76 mcg acrylamide
0.77 mcg GE
CR’s advice: Limit consumption (don’t eat them every day).
MadeGood Organic Chewy Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 24 grams (1 bar)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
0.41 mcg acrylamide
CR’s advice: Limit consumption (don’t eat them every day).
Slim Jim Mild Snack Size Sticks
Study: August 2026 CR
Serving size: 32 grams (4 sticks)
Above CR’s level of concern, per serving:
0.77 mcg DEHP
CR’s advice: CR’s results chart says one serving per day is fine, but its report text recommends keeping the three snacks above its DEHP level of concern, including Slim Jim, to “a rare treat.”
What the Companies Said
Of the companies behind the 14 flagged snacks, only Riverside, which makes MadeGood, responded directly to CR. Mondelez International, which makes Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Clif Zbars, and Nabisco Wheat Thins, referred CR to the Consumer Brands Association (CBA). Rhonda Bentz, the CBA’s executive vice president of public affairs, told CR that “America has one of the safest and most highly regulated food systems in the world,” and disagreed with CR’s report. “Food and beverage manufacturers adhere to the rigorous, evidence-based safety standards established by the FDA, which is the national expert on the safety of America’s food supply, not Consumer Reports. Many of the substances highlighted in the report occur naturally in food, including fruits, vegetables and grains, or are formed during preparation,” she said.
Riverside told CR that it makes and bakes its granola in its own facilities and that “the acrylamide levels reported here are well below recognized process-performance benchmark levels used in the United States and Europe.”
The post Lay’s, Goldfish Among 14 Snacks Consumer Reports Flagged for Contaminants appeared first on Eat This Not That.”}]]