Spoon Scout

Ensure Original Nutrition Shake, Dark Chocolate

Abbott Laboratories Inc · Energy, Protein & Muscle Recovery Drinks · barcode 00070074538075

What stands out

  • From the label

    The ingredients list Red No. 3 (erythrosine), which is banned or not approved in US (FDA) from 2027-01-15, California from 2027-01-01 and West Virginia from 2028-01-01. Details

  • Lab testsNo lab has published results for this exact product.
  • RecallsNo FDA recall lists this barcode.
  • Additives1 ingredient is banned or unapproved somewhere. Which
  • TypicalFDA's tests of energy, protein & muscle recovery drinks show what's typical. See levels
  • Others12 other energy, protein & muscle recovery drinks products have lab results. Compare them

Additives with restrictions somewhere

From the ingredient list on file (label data dated 2021-03-19). Recipes change, so check the package you have.

Red No. 3 (erythrosine) (E127)

  • US (FDA): Authorization revoked from 2027-01-15 FDA revoked its approval for food; food makers must stop using it by January 15, 2027 (ingested drugs by January 18, 2028). (90 FR 4628 (2025)) Source
  • EU: Allowed On the EU's list of approved additives as E127. Only in cocktail and candied cherries and bigarreaux cherries. (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) Source
  • California: Banned from 2027-01-01 Banned in food made, sold or distributed in California after January 1, 2027. (AB 418 (2023)) Source
  • West Virginia: Banned from 2028-01-01 Food containing it is treated as adulterated in West Virginia from January 1, 2028. (HB 2354 (2025)) Source
  • West Virginia: Banned in school meals from 2025-08-01 Banned in West Virginia school meals since August 1, 2025. (HB 2354 (2025)) Source
  • Texas: Warning label required from 2027-01-01 Labels developed on or after January 1, 2027 must warn that the product contains an ingredient not recommended for consumption in Australia, Canada, the EU or the UK. (SB 25 (2025)) Source
  • Louisiana: Banned in school meals from 2028-2029 school year Banned in Louisiana school food from the 2028-2029 school year (concession stands and vending machines exempt). (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source
  • Louisiana: Warning label required from 2028-01-01 Products containing it must carry a QR code disclosure from January 1, 2028. (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source

Sucralose (E955)

  • US (FDA): Allowed FDA approved it as a sweetener. Source
  • EU: Allowed On the EU's list of approved additives as E955. (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) Source
  • Louisiana: Banned in school meals from 2028-2029 school year Banned in Louisiana school food from the 2028-2029 school year (concession stands and vending machines exempt). (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source
  • Louisiana: Warning label required from 2028-01-01 Products containing it must carry a QR code disclosure from January 1, 2028. (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source

Acesulfame potassium (E950)

  • US (FDA): Allowed FDA approved it as a sweetener. Source
  • EU: Allowed On the EU's list of approved additives as E950. (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) Source
  • Louisiana: Banned in school meals from 2028-2029 school year Banned in Louisiana school food from the 2028-2029 school year (concession stands and vending machines exempt). (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source
  • Louisiana: Warning label required from 2028-01-01 Products containing it must carry a QR code disclosure from January 1, 2028. (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source

Typical for energy, protein & muscle recovery drinks

What FDA found when it bought and tested this kind of food across the US. These are not tests of this product.

FDA samples behind these numbers
  • Lead in Beverage, energy: found in 0 of 3, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Lead in Meal replacement, liquid RTD, vanilla: found in 0 of 3, all below 4 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Lead in Powder, protein: found in 3 of 3, average 6.67, highest 7.9 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Cadmium in Beverage, energy: found in 0 of 3, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Cadmium in Meal replacement, liquid RTD, vanilla: found in 2 of 3, average 1.23, highest 2.4 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Cadmium in Powder, protein: found in 3 of 3, average 13.7, highest 22 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Mercury in Beverage, energy: found in 0 of 3, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Mercury in Meal replacement, liquid RTD, vanilla: found in 0 of 3, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Mercury in Powder, protein: found in 0 of 3, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Arsenic (total) in Beverage, energy: found in 0 of 3, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Arsenic (total) in Meal replacement, liquid RTD, vanilla: found in 0 of 3, all below 3 ppb (2018-2020)
  • Arsenic (total) in Powder, protein: found in 3 of 3, average 4.1, highest 4.8 ppb (2018-2020)

"Typically" is FDA's middle sample. Daily amounts use the long-run average and each chemical's daily limit (EPA reference dose, or FDA's level for lead) for a 33-lb toddler and a 154-lb adult. ppb = micrograms per kilogram of food. Source: FDA Total Diet Study.

Not tested

No published results for this product cover: Metals, Perchlorate, Phthalates (plastic softeners), Phthalate substitutes, Bisphenols. That means nobody has published a test, not that these are absent.

Ingredients (from the label)

WATER, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, COCOA POWDER (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), SOY OIL, SUCROMALT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CANOLA OIL; LESS THAN 0.5% OF: CORN OIL, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM CITRATE, CELLULOSE GEL, SALT, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, ASCORBIC ACID, CELLULOSE GUM, MONOGLYCERIDES, SOY LECITHIN, CARRAGEENAN, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, DL-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ZINC SULFATE, LIQUID SUCRALOSE, NIACINAMIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, CUPRIC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, FD&C RED #3, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, THIAMINE CHLORIDE HYDROCHLORIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID, BIOTIN, SODIUM SELENATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, PHYLLOQUINONE, CYANOCOBALAMIN, AND VITAMIN D3.

From USDA FoodData Central, label dated 2021-03-19. Labels change; check the package.

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