amber
E471
Industrial fatty-acid emulsifier shown to disrupt gut mucus barrier and microbiome in mouse models. Ubiquitous in baked goods and chocolate.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Muscle Nation Protein Custard Bar Cookie & Cream 60g
Is Muscle Nation Protein Custard Bar Cookie & Cream 60g low tox? Our scanner flagged 6 ingredients (6 in the caution tier) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
6 caution
6 ingredients flagged
What we flagged
amber
Carboxymethylcellulose
The 2015 Chassaing et al. study in Nature showed this emulsifier disrupts gut microbiota and induces low-grade inflammation.
amber
Sucralose
Studies show altered gut microbiota and increased gut permeability.
amber
Maltitol
Sugar alcohol. Common osmotic-laxative and bloating trigger in IBS at >10g intake.
amber
E476
Castor-oil-derived emulsifier ubiquitous in compound chocolate. Same gut-barrier concerns as the other Chassaing-class emulsifiers.
amber
Titanium Dioxide
Banned as a food additive in the EU (2022) due to nano-particle genotoxicity concerns. Inhalation classified IARC Group 2B.
Full ingredients (from label)
Muscle Nation Cookies & Cream Custard 26% (Muscle Nation Cookies & Cream Custard Powder 32.4% (Milk Protein Concentrate 63% (Casein Protein 85%, Whey Protein), Choc Cookie Crumb 10% [Wheat Flour, Sugar, Coconut Oil, Icing Sugar (Sugar, Tapioca Starch), Salted Butter (Butter Oil (Milk)), Water, Salt, Milk Powder, Emulsifiers (471, Soy Lecithin)), Cocoa Powder, Tapioca Syrup, Raising Agent (500), Flavour, Salt], Skim Milk Powder, Fibre (Inulin), Flavour, Medium-Chain-Triglyceride (MCT) Oil Powder (Antioxidants 306, 307b) (Milk), Thickener (Carboxymethylcellulose), Sweetener (Sucralose), Sodium Chloride)Sweetener (Maltitol)Humectant (Glycerol)Isomalto-Oligosaccharide (Soluble Fibre))No Added Sugar Protein White Chocolate (Sweetener (Maltitol), Cocoa Solids 33%, Soy Protein Isolate, Milk Solids 10%, Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin, 476), Food Acid (Citric Acid))Vanilla Paste 8% (Invert Sugar, Humectant (Sorbitol, Glycerol), Concentrated Pear Puree, Bulking Agent (Polydextrose), Sunflower Oil, Citrus Fibre, Natural Flavour, Gelling Agent (Pectin), Firming Agent (Calcium Lactate), Natural Colour (Titanium Dioxide))PolydextroseSoy Protein IsolateHumectant (Glycerol)Hydrolysed CollagenSoy Protein CrispsMilk Protein ConcentrateIsomalto-Oligosaccharide (Soluble Fibre)Whey Protein Concentrate (Milk)Black Waffle Crunch 3% (Contains (Wheat, Soy))Cocoa PowderSunflower OilSoy Protein CrispsFlavourSaltEmulsifier (Soy Lecithin)Natural FlavourAntioxidant (307b).
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.