Healthy Food Guideby KarbCoach

Healthy Food Guide by KarbCoach

Brunswick Sardine Fillets In Mustard & Dill Sauce: Food Integrity analysis

Updated 2026-10-19 · Brunswick

Quick answer

Mixed integrity

Brunswick sardine fillets in mustard & dill sauce received a Food Integrity Score of 63 out of 100 (mixed integrity). This reflects highly processed and moderate additive load. Herring is the anchor here, but the sauce is doing a lot of work with refined soybean oil, thickeners, color extractives, and a vague spice blend. It's a reasonable occasional pantry item, not something to build your routine around, especially if you prefer simpler labels. Main considerations include refined soybean oil in the sauce, modified cornstarch and xanthan gum texture helpers, and vague spices and concentrated color extracts. Simpler options: Look for sardines packed in olive oil or water with fewer added thickeners and colors; make a simple mustard-dill dressing at home to pair with plain sardines.

Food Integrity Score 63/100

What stood out on the label?

  • Highly processed
  • Moderate additive load
  • Transparency: Medium

What to watch?

  • Refined soybean oil in the sauce
  • Modified cornstarch and xanthan gum texture helpers
  • Vague spices and concentrated color extracts

Simpler options to consider

  • Look for sardines packed in olive oil or water with fewer added thickeners and colors
  • Make a simple mustard-dill dressing at home to pair with plain sardines

You are viewing ingredients and processing. Switch to Longevity for nutrition and longer-term eating pattern fit.

Source data, GTIN, and Healthy Food Guide analysis details

Product facts

Product
Brunswick Sardine Fillets In Mustard & Dill Sauce
Category
Seafood (source: Canned Seafood)
GTIN / UPC
00066613028619
Serving size
106 g (106 g)
Source data — ingredients
Ingredient list from product label data (see Sources)
Healthy Food Guide analysis
Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards. See methodology under Sources.
Data last verified

Food Integrity results

Sardine Fillets In Mustard & Dill Sauce

Brunswick

Mixed integrity

Warning Signs

Soybean oil, modified cornstarch, and xanthan gum make this sardine jar more formulated than the fish alone suggests.

Consider This

Modified cornstarch, xanthan gum, and vague "spices" plus color extractives are typical of factory-formulated sauces.

Good Substitutes

Sardines packed in olive oil or water with mustard, dill, and vinegar you add yourself keeps the flavor with far fewer helpers.

Overall Assessment

Mixed integrity

Herring is the anchor here, but the sauce is doing a lot of work with refined soybean oil, thickeners, color extractives, and a vague spice blend. It's a reasonable occasional pantry item, not something to build your routine around, especially if you prefer simpler labels.

Key Highlights

What stood out

  • Refined soybean oil in the sauce
  • Modified cornstarch and xanthan gum texture helpers
  • Vague spices and concentrated color extracts

Family Watchlist

Ingredients some users may personally want to know about.

  • Soybean Oil — Refined industrial seed oil
  • Modified Cornstarch — Modified starch texture helper
  • Tumeric (Color) — Added color
  • Xanthan Gum — Gum thickener and stabilizer
  • Spices — Vague spice blend
  • Extractives of Tumeric (Color) and Annatto (Color) — Concentrated color extracts

Highest concern ingredients

  • Xanthan Gum (7/10) — Gum thickener and stabilizer
  • Extractives of Tumeric (Color) and Annatto (Color) (7/10) — Concentrated color extracts
  • Soybean Oil (6/10) — Refined industrial seed oil

Better choice tips

  • Look for sardines packed in olive oil or water with fewer added thickeners and colors.
  • Make a simple mustard-dill dressing at home to pair with plain sardines.

Ingredients

Ingredient list

INGREDIENTS: HERRING, WATER, MUSTARD, SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SALT, SUGAR, ACETIC ACID, TUMERIC (COLOR), DILL, XANTHAN GUM, SPICES, EXTRACTIVES OF TUMERIC (COLOR) AND ANNATTO (COLOR)

Formulations can vary — check the package label for the final word.

Highest-concern ingredients first. Expand an item for notes.

  1. Xanthan GumConcern 7/10 — Higher concernThickenerWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Thickener

    Processing category

    Synthetic / man-made

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Gums are texture and stability helpers that many users want flagged.

    Additional note

    Fermentation-derived thickener and stabilizer.

    Family watchlist

    Gum thickener and stabilizer

  2. Extractives of Tumeric (Color) and Annatto (Color)Concern 7/10 — Higher concernColor additiveWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Color additive

    Processing category

    Synthetic / man-made

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Concentrated color extracts are added primarily to change appearance.

    Additional note

    Concentrated color extracts added for appearance.

    Family watchlist

    Concentrated color extracts

  3. Soybean OilConcern 6/10 — Moderate concernRefined oilWatchlist

    What this is

    Refined oil

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Refined seed oils are often flagged by users watching industrial oil intake.

    Additional note

    Refined industrial seed oil added to the sauce.

    Family watchlist

    Refined industrial seed oil

  4. Modified CornstarchConcern 6/10 — Moderate concernModified starchWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Modified starch

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Modified starches are texture helpers that signal formulation work.

    Additional note

    Chemically or physically modified starch used for texture.

    Family watchlist

    Modified starch texture helper

View all 13 ingredient assessments
  1. SpicesConcern 6/10 — Moderate concernVague ingredientWatchlist · Vague label term

    What this is

    Vague ingredient

    Processing category

    Unknown / not listed

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Broad spice blends hide exact ingredients and sources.

    Additional note

    Broad category with unspecified sources and blends.

    Family watchlist

    Vague spice blend

  2. Tumeric (Color)Concern 5/10 — Moderate concernColor additiveWatchlist · Additive

    What this is

    Color additive

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Added color signals appearance engineering rather than just flavor.

    Additional note

    Listed as a color, suggesting color-adjustment use.

    Family watchlist

    Added color ingredient

  3. SugarConcern 4/10 — Mild concernSweetener

    What this is

    Sweetener

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Ingredient concern

    Why it matters

    Added refined sugar is a mild concern in savory sauces.

    Additional note

    Refined sugar added for flavor balance.

  4. Acetic AcidConcern 4/10 — Mild concernAcidulantAdditive

    What this is

    Acidulant

    Processing category

    Synthetic / man-made

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Acetic acid is a functional acidulant, commonly used as a preservative.

    Additional note

    Acidulant that works as a preservative and flavor agent.

  5. MustardConcern 1/10 — Very low concernSimple food

    What this is

    Simple food

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Recognizable spice ingredient with minimal processing.

    Additional note

    Mustard seed or prepared mustard, a recognizable flavor ingredient.

  6. HerringConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernWhole food

    What this is

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Recognizable whole protein source with no added formulation concern.

    Additional note

    Whole fish, the recognizable core of the product.

  7. WaterConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernSimple food

    What this is

    Simple food

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Simple, recognizable base with no concern.

    Additional note

    Plain water used as the sauce base.

  8. SaltConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernSimple food

    What this is

    Simple food

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Traditional seasoning with no formulation concern.

    Additional note

    Basic seasoning and preservative salt.

  9. DillConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernSimple food

    What this is

    Simple food

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Recognizable herb with no concern.

    Additional note

    Herb used for flavor.

This Food Integrity score estimates how close a food appears to a simple, recognizable ingredient profile. It is not a medical safety rating. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

How this product may fit different goals

The same food can look different depending on what matters most to you. Here is a general preview of how this product may align with several common goals.

  • Heart-Healthy Eating

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Heart-Healthy Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Added-sodium ingredients (Mentions "salt". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Minimally Processed Eating

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Minimally Processed Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Higher processing level (Highly processed)

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Whole-Food Focused Eating

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Whole-Food Focused Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Higher processing level (Highly processed)

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Higher processing level (Highly processed)

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Paleo-Style Eating

    Watch-outs

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Paleo-Style Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Added-sugar cues (Mentions "sugar". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Low-Spike Stability

    Neutral

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low-Spike Stability, the Food Integrity data do not show a strong matching signal for this product.

    See more for this goal

See how this product fits your goals

Choose what matters most to you and explore a more detailed interpretation of this product's nutrition, ingredients, and tradeoffs.

Personalize this analysis

Understanding the Food Integrity analysis

What the Food Integrity analysis evaluates

The Food Integrity analysis focuses on how a packaged food is formulated and made. It examines processing level, ingredient quality, additives, oils, sweeteners, purity cues, and how clearly a label communicates what is in the product. The Food Integrity Score summarizes that formulation and transparency picture on a 0–100 scale. It is not a full nutrient report and it is not a personalized meal plan.

Why processing, ingredients, and transparency matter

Processing level and ingredient quality shape what you are actually eating beyond calories on the label. Additives, industrial oils, and intense sweeteners can change how clean or heavily engineered a product feels, even when the front of pack looks wholesome. Purity and transparency matter because incomplete or marketing-heavy labeling can hide tradeoffs that only show up when the full ingredient list is reviewed carefully.

Who may prioritize Food Integrity

Some people care mainly about Food Integrity because their dietary goals center on formulation rather than macros alone. Examples include checking vegetarian or vegan suitability, preferring simpler ingredient sources, avoiding certain additives or sweeteners, watching oil choices, or preferring less processed options. For those priorities, the Food Integrity Score can be the more practical first read.

How Food Integrity differs from Longevity

Food Integrity is the focused analysis of processing, ingredients, additives, purity, and transparency. Longevity is the broader analysis of nutritional composition, metabolic and dietary characteristics, processing, and ingredient quality together. Favorable nutrition values do not necessarily mean strong Food Integrity: a product can look balanced on macros yet still rely on heavy processing or additives that the Food Integrity analysis flags in more detail.

Why the two analyses overlap—and why to review Longevity too

The analyses overlap intentionally. Food Integrity–related characteristics contribute to Longevity, and Longevity still benefits from the same ingredient-quality lens. They are not competing verdicts; they answer different questions at different depths. Reviewing the Longevity analysis can add information about nutritional composition, metabolic characteristics, and dietary balance that Food Integrity alone does not emphasize. Looking at both usually gives the most complete understanding of tradeoffs.

Common questions about this product

Is Brunswick Sardine Fillets In Mustard & Dill Sauce highly processed?

Food Integrity lists processing level as Highly processed. That reflects formulation and processing signals from the ingredient analysis — not a medical or regulatory classification.

Why are the Longevity and Food Integrity scores different?

Longevity emphasizes nutrition per serving and longer-term dietary alignment. Food Integrity emphasizes ingredients, additives, processing, and label transparency. The same product can score differently on those lenses.

How much fiber is in one serving?

Brunswick Sardine Fillets In Mustard & Dill Sauce shows about 0g of fiber per labeled serving in the Longevity nutrition facts.

Does it contain added sugar?

Brunswick Sardine Fillets In Mustard & Dill Sauce: 1g added sugar per serving; sweetener signals include sugar. Confirm the current package Nutrition Facts and ingredient list.

What helped the Longevity Score?

Key positives called out in the analysis include: Good protein (17g) from whole fish; Low sugar and carbohydrates per serving; Few core ingredients, mostly recognizable.

What prevented a perfect Longevity Score?

Key concerns noted include: Sodium is high for one serving (~520mg); Soybean oil is a prominent seed oil; Artificial-style colors (turmeric and annatto extracts).

Who might evaluate this product differently?

People prioritizing different goals (for example lower carbs, higher protein, or minimally processed eating) may weigh the same seafood differently. Use the goal preview on this page, then personalize in KarbCoach for your priorities.

Other published analyses in Seafood, selected from the same Healthy Food Guide catalog.

Source data and Healthy Food Guide analysis

  1. Public label databases (including USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts) — Possible sources for package ingredients and nutrition.
  2. Healthy Food Guide analysis (Longevity and Food Integrity) — Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards.
  3. How the Longevity Score is calculated
  4. How the Food Integrity Score is calculated
  5. Scoring models: KarbCoach Longevity and Food Integrity.
  6. Independent analysis. No manufacturer affiliation.
  7. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions. Full sources and safety details.
Label accuracy and safety information

Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

Sources, citations & safety

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Healthy Food Guide covers this product in detail. In KarbCoach, your goals shape what matters most for your meals.

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