1 gum type (guar), plus preservative.
Grade
CFull check
−24 points
Vegetarian-friendly. No animal-derived rennet, enzymes or meat/fish listed.
Ingredients, in label order
Explain every ingredient
- Pasteurized milk and cream — Core cream cheese. Core cream cheese ingredient.
- salt — Core cream cheese. Core cream cheese ingredient.
- guar gum — Red flag. Gum/stabilizer (guar). Thickens a cream cheese that wasn't cultured or drained long enough to hold its shape.
- natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor) — Red flag. Natamycin: an antifungal preservative. Labeled “natural,” but it's there to extend shelf life.
- cheese culture — Core cream cheese. Core cream cheese ingredient.
Score breakdown
| Starting score | 100 |
| 1 gum type (guar) | −15 |
| Preservative | −9 |
| Score | 76 → C |
|---|
Where to buy
| Store | Size | Price | Per oz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | 16 oz | $6.19 | $0.39/oz |
| Target | 8 oz | $3.49 | $0.44/oz |
| Ralphs | 16 oz | $8.49 | $0.53/oz |
| Ralphs | 12 oz | $6.49 | $0.54/oz |
| Ralphs | 8 oz | $4.49 | $0.56/oz |
Shopper notes
- The front says “no artificial preservatives.” Natamycin is a preservative, just classed as natural.
- Reformulated: an older Philly listing still on Kroger's site shows three gums, whey and sorbic acid. Check the tub you buy.