Course:FNH200/Assignments/2025/Kraft Heinz Jell-O Strawberry Ready-to-Eat Gelatin Snack Cups - Original vs Zero Sugar

Introduction

JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Snack Cups - Original vs Zero Sugar

JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin is a popular ready-to-eat snack that offers a fruity, artificially flavored strawberry taste. It comes in convenient snack cups and is made with fruit juices, containing 70 calories per serving. JELL-O also offers a Zero Sugar version with only 10 calories per serving, catering to those seeking a low-calorie, sugar-free option.

In this project, our team compares the ingredient composition, functional additives, and labeling information of the original and Zero Sugar versions of JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin. By analyzing the substitutions used and their regulatory compliance, we aim to better understand how food manufacturers reformulate products to meet changing dietary trends and what trade-offs come with these modifications.

Pictures of the Products

Image 1: JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Original

Image 2: JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Zero Sugar

Ingredient lists

Ingredients & Nutrition facts of JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Original

1. Ingredients

JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Original	JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Zero Sugar
Water Sugar Fruit juice blend from concentrate Gelatin Adipic acid Citric acid Sodium citrate Red 40 Natural and artificial flavor	Water Gelatin Adipic acid Sodium citrate Citric acid Aspartame Acesulfame potassium Salt Red 40 Artificial flavor

Ingredients & Nutrition facts of JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Zero Sugar

2. Substitutes & Additives used

	JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Original	JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Zero Sugar
Sugar Substitutes	None	Aspartame Acesulfame potassium
Fat Substitutes	None	None
Additives	Gelatin Adipic acid Citric acid Sodium citrate Red 40 Natural and artificial flavor	Gelatin Adipic acid Citric acid Sodium citrate Red 40 Artificial flavor Salt

JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Original

Sugar substitutes: None

Fat substitutes: None

Additives:

• Gelatin: Gelatin is a protein derived from collagen which acts as a gelling agent. It provides the characteristic soft, elastic texture of JELL-O by forming a stable three-dimensional network that traps water.
• Adipic acid: Adipic acid works alongside gelatin to improve gel firmness and also adds a sharp, clean acidic note to enhance the tartness.
• Citric acid: Citric acid gives tartness to balance sweetness and also helps lower the pH of the product, improving microbial stability.
• Sodium citrate: Sodium citrate is included as a buffering agent to help maintain a stable pH, which is crucial for consistent gel formation. It also acts as a flavor enhancer and stabilizer.
• Red 40: Red 40 is a synthetic food dye that gives the product its vibrant red color, which enhances visual appeal. It remains stable under various storage conditions (heat and light), ensuring long shelf life. Red 40 is the used in United States and also known as Allura Red in Canada.
• Natural and artificial flavor: The original version contains both natural and artificial flavors to replicate the taste of real strawberries.

JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Zero Sugar

Sugar substitutes:

• Aspartame: Aspartame is a high-intensity artificial sweetener (~200x sweeter than sucrose), providing a sweet taste without the calories of sugar. It maintains a similar sugar's sweetness with a small amount. it also contains phenylalanine, which must be declared for individuals with PKU (phenylketonuria).
• Acesulfame potassium: Acesulfame potassium is another high-intensity yet non-nutritive sweetener included to enhance sweetness (~200x sweeter than sucrose) and improve flavor balance. It is often used in combination with aspartame to create a more rounded sweetness and mask bitterness. It has good heat stability and shelf-life, which is important for processed products.

Fat substitutes: None

Additives:

• Artificial flavor: Artificial flavor replicates the taste of real strawberries. The zero sugar version uses only the artificial flavors, likely for consistency and cost-effectiveness.
• Salt: Salt is added as a flavor enhancer which balances the taste, especially in the absence of sugar. It is added only to the zero sugar version to enhance the overall flavor, helping to balance the artificial sweeteners and improve palatability in the absence of sugar.

4. Compare & Contrast

Similarity: Gelatin, Adipic acid, Citric acid, Sodium citrate, Red 40, Artificial flavor

Difference: The original JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin contains sugar and a fruit juice blend (from strawberry and apple juice concentrates), which act as the primary sweeteners and also contribute to flavor. In contrast, the Zero Sugar version eliminates these caloric sweeteners and instead uses aspartame and acesulfame potassium, two high-intensity sugar substitutes that provide sweetness without adding calories.

Additionally, the original version includes both natural and artificial flavors, offering a blend that may more closely mimic the taste of real strawberries. The Zero Sugar version uses only artificial flavors, likely for cost efficiency and consistency, artificial flavors can be used to better mimic the desired taste profile without relying on sugar's inherent flavor contributions. Another notable difference is the inclusion of salt in the Zero Sugar version, which is absent from the original. This salt likely serves as a flavor enhancer to balance the taste and help smooth out any off-notes from the artificial sweeteners.

Both versions share common ingredients such as gelatin, which provides the gel structure; adipic acid, citric acid, and sodium citrate, which control acidity and enhance tartness; and Red 40, which gives the product its bright red color. However, only the original version contains a fruit juice blend, giving it a closer tie to fruit-based ingredients, while the Zero Sugar version omits real fruit content entirely.

Overall, the differences reflect a trade-off between taste and caloric content, with the original focusing on a more natural sweetness, while the Zero Sugar version prioritizes calorie reduction through the use of artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers.

Labels

	JELL-O Strawberry Gelatin Original & Zero Sugar
Common Name	It is commonly known as Jell-O Original Strawberry Gelatin Snack Cups and Jell-O Zero Sugar Strawberry Artificially Flavored Gelatin Cups.
Bilingualism	Both the products contain only English labels since they were manufactured in the US.
Country of Origin	Country of origin is not mandatory for this category of food product in Canada and is therefore not listed on the label.
Date Markings & Storage Instructions	The top label clearly states "Keep Refrigerated," and the same storage instruction is also found under the "About This Product" and "Health & Safety" sections accessible through the QR code. The Best Before date is printed on the top label.
Name & Principle Place of Business	The back label states Kraft Heinz Foods Company, Chicago, IL, USA, indicating the product is manufactured in the U.S.
Legibility & Location	All information is printed in legible font and appropriate contrast. Ingredient lists, Nutrition Facts tables, and company details are clearly visible on the back panel. The product is easily available in Canada.
Net Quantity	The Original package states NET WT 13.5 OZ (384 g), and the Zero Sugar version states NET WT 12.5 OZ (356 g). Both quantities are clearly declared on the front label in imperial and metric units.
Nutrition Facts	The Nutrition Facts tables are formatted correctly, showing serving size, calorie content, macronutrients, and % daily values in accordance with standard nutrition labeling.
Irradiation	Neither product is irradiated, and therefore no irradiation statement is present on the labels.
List of Ingredients and Allergens	Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The Zero Sugar version includes a mandatory “Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine” warning due to the presence of aspartame.
Sweeteners	Clearly identified in the list of ingredients. The Original version uses sugar and fruit juice concentrate, while the Zero Sugar version contains aspartame and acesulfame potassium as sweeteners. The required phenylalanine warning is present.
Food Additives	Clearly identified in the list of ingredients. Both products list approved additives such as gelatin, adipic acid, citric acid, sodium citrate, and Red 40, all of which are permitted in Canada for this product category.
Claim and Statements	There have not been any nutrient content or diet related claims for the two products. The Zero Sugar product includes claims such as “Zero Sugar” and “Low Calorie Gelatin Snacks”, which align with Health Canada’s requirements for nutrient content claims. The calorie count (10 kcal) supports the claim.

References

This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.