Captain Ken's Au Gratin Potatoes With Real Cheddar Cheese, Au Gratin

Captain Kens Frozen Foods · Frozen Prepared Sides · barcode 00072004020155

What stands out

From the label
The ingredients list Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow), which has stricter rules elsewhere. Strictest: West Virginia ban from 2028; EU warning label. Details

Lab testsNo lab has published results for this exact product.
RecallsNo FDA recall lists this barcode.
Additives1 ingredient has stricter rules elsewhere. Strictest: West Virginia ban from 2028; EU warning label. Which
TypicalFDA's tests of frozen prepared sides show what's typical. See levels

Additives with restrictions somewhere

From the ingredient list on file (label data dated 2021-10-28). Recipes change, so check the package you have.

Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) (E110)

US (FDA): Allowed FDA allows Yellow No. 6 as a certified color additive. Source
EU: Allowed with warning label Allowed as E110, but foods containing it must say it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex V) Source
California: Banned in school meals from 2027-12-31 Banned in food and drinks offered in California public schools from December 31, 2027. (AB 2316 (2024)) 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

Typical for frozen prepared sides

FDA doesn't test this exact kind of food, so these are the closest foods it does test. Treat them as a rough guide.

Cadmium: typically 43.5 ppb (FDA, 60 samples, 2017-2020). A toddler reaches EPA's daily limit at about 320 g (11 oz) a day; an adult at about 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).
One serving (3/4 cup, 170 g, from the label):
● 52% of a toddler's daily limit
11% of an adult's daily limit
Arsenic (total): typically 3.69 ppb (FDA, 60 samples, 2017-2020). No US agency limit we can cite.
Perchlorate: typically 2.63 ppb (FDA, 80 samples, 2008-2012). A toddler reaches EPA's daily limit at about 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) a day; an adult at about 16 kg (35 lb).
One serving (3/4 cup, 170 g, from the label):
5% of a toddler's daily limit
1% of an adult's daily limit
Lead, Mercury: usually below 4 ppb, the lab's limit, in FDA's samples.

FDA samples behind these numbers

Lead in Macaroni and cheese, prepared from boxed mix: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 4 ppb (2018-2020)
Lead in Mixed vegetables, frozen, boiled: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 4 ppb (2018-2020)
Lead in Potato, with peel, baked: found in 9 of 27 samples, average 2.32, highest 12 ppb (2017-2020)
Lead in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 1 of 27 samples, average 0.56, highest 15 ppb (2017-2020)
Cadmium in Macaroni and cheese, prepared from boxed mix: found in 3 of 3 samples, average 11.1, highest 13 ppb (2018-2020)
Cadmium in Mixed vegetables, frozen, boiled: found in 3 of 3 samples, average 5.07, highest 6.7 ppb (2018-2020)
Cadmium in Potato, with peel, baked: found in 27 of 27 samples, average 43, highest 66 ppb (2017-2020)
Cadmium in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 27 of 27 samples, average 57.9, highest 100 ppb (2017-2020)
Mercury in Macaroni and cheese, prepared from boxed mix: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
Mercury in Mixed vegetables, frozen, boiled: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
Mercury in Potato, with peel, baked: found in 0 of 27 samples, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
Mercury in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 0 of 27 samples, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Macaroni and cheese, prepared from boxed mix: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 3 ppb (2018-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Mixed vegetables, frozen, boiled: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 3 ppb (2018-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Potato, with peel, baked: found in 19 of 27 samples, average 4.31, highest 18 ppb (2017-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 23 of 27 samples, average 3.97, highest 6.4 ppb (2017-2020)
Perchlorate in Macaroni and cheese, prepared from box mix: found in 19 of 20 samples, average 3.5, highest 5 ppb (2008-2012)
Perchlorate in Mixed vegetables, frozen, boiled: found in 10 of 20 samples, average 1.23, highest 6 ppb (2008-2012)
Perchlorate in Potato, baked (w/ peel): found in 5 of 20 samples, average 0.53, highest 3 ppb (2008-2012)
Perchlorate in Potato, french-fried, fast-food: found in 14 of 20 samples, average 6.68, highest 19 ppb (2008-2012)

"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)

POTATOES (POTATOES, DEXTROSE, POTASSIUM SORBATE [TO PROTECT FLAVOR], DISODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE [TO MAINTAIN COLOR]), CHEESE SAUCE (WATER, CANOLA OIL, CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO [COLOR]), MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CORN STARCH, WHEY, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NONFAT DRY MILK, RICE FLOUR, SALT, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, YEAST EXTRACT, MONO-AND DIGLYCERIDES, BLUE CHEESE (MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), CREAM, ACETIC ACID, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, TURMERIC COLOR, YELLOW 6, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR), NATURAL FLAVORS, ENZYMES), WATER, CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO [VEGETABLE COLOR], POWDERED CELLULOSE [TO PREVENT CAKING], POTASSIUM SORBATE AND NATAMYCIN [PRESEVATIVES]), PARMESAN CHEESE (IMPORTED PARMESAN CHEESE [PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM COW'S MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES], HARD GRATING CHEESE [FOOD STARCH, WATER, PALM OIL, CELLULOSE, SALT, LACTIC ACID, WHEY, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CITRATE, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, ARTIFICAL COLOR], POWDER CELLULOSE ADDED TO PREVENT CAKING, NATAMYCIN [A NATURAL MOLD INHIBITOR]), PAPRIKA.

From USDA FoodData Central, label dated 2021-10-28. Labels change; check the package.

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