Public Record
You Have a Right to Know
Who's Feeding You This.
These are not anonymous corporations. They have names, faces, and nine-figure compensation packages. Below are the companies profiting from GRAS-approved ingredients linked to America's deadliest diseases — their products, their ingredients, and the people signing off on it. All data sourced from SEC proxy filings, FDA label databases, and peer-reviewed research.
6
Companies Profiled
$153M+
Combined CEO Pay (2024)
25+
Products with GRAS Ingredients
$0
Independent Safety Reviews Required
⚖️ ALL compensation data sourced from SEC DEF 14A proxy filings. Product ingredients sourced from FDA label data and manufacturer disclosures. Research links sourced from peer-reviewed studies cited on the GRAS page. This is public record. This is journalism.
The Foul Six
Click any company to expand. Click any product to see its GRAS ingredients.
RL
Ramon Laguarta
Chairman & CEO — PepsiCo, Inc. — CEO since 2018
$28.8M
Total Compensation 2024 (SEC Filing)
538× the median PepsiCo worker's pay ($53,551/yr)
Products & Their GRAS Ingredients
Pepsi Cola (Regular & Diet)
2 GRAS flags
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Linked to Type 2 diabetes, visceral fat, fatty liver disease. Added 1,000%+ more to US diet since 1970.
GRAS — Self-Declared
Aspartame (Diet Pepsi)
WHO classified as possible carcinogen (Group 2B) in 2023. Linked to insulin resistance and gut microbiota disruption.
GRAS — WHO: Possible Carcinogen
Mountain Dew
2 GRAS flags
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Linked to Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
GRAS — Self-Declared
Yellow Dye No. 5 (Tartrazine)
Linked to hyperactivity in children. Currently targeted by state legislative bills in 31 states for removal.
GRAS — Under State Review
Lay's Classic Potato Chips
1 GRAS flag
▾
Partially Hydrogenated Oils (legacy batches)
Trans fats — now banned federally (2018), but product reformulations were allowed years after the ban.
Banned 2018 — Phased Out
Sunflower Oil, Salt, Potatoes
Current formulation — no major GRAS flags.
No Current Flag
Gatorade (Fruit Punch / Citrus)
2 GRAS flags
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup / Sugar
Marketed as a sports drink to children. Diabetes-linked sweeteners in a product with a health halo.
GRAS — Self-Declared
Red Dye No. 40 / Yellow Dye No. 6
Petroleum-derived synthetic dyes. Targeted for removal by legislation in 31 states. Banned or restricted in several EU countries.
GRAS — Under State Review
The Math: Ramon Laguarta made $28.8 million in 2024 — 538 times what the median PepsiCo worker earns. The company sells high fructose corn syrup to children in brightly colored bottles labeled as "sports nutrition." They know the research. The research is public.
JQ
James Quincey
Chairman & CEO — The Coca-Cola Company — CEO since 2017 (stepping down March 31, 2026)
$28.0M
Total Compensation 2024 (SEC Filing)
1,980× the median Coca-Cola employee's pay
Products & Their GRAS Ingredients
Coca-Cola Classic
1 GRAS flag
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup
39g of sugar per 12oz can. Directly linked to insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease at regular consumption levels.
GRAS — Self-Declared
Diet Coke / Coke Zero
2 GRAS flags
▾
Aspartame (Diet Coke)
WHO IARC Group 2B: Possible carcinogen (2023). Linked to insulin resistance — the very condition diet drinkers are trying to avoid.
GRAS — WHO: Possible Carcinogen
Acesulfame Potassium (Coke Zero)
Linked to potential endocrine disruption and metabolic effects in some animal studies. Limited long-term human data.
GRAS — Limited Safety Data
Fanta Orange
2 GRAS flags
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup
44g of sugar per 12oz can via HFCS. Linked to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
GRAS — Self-Declared
Red Dye No. 40 / Yellow Dye No. 6
Petroleum-derived synthetic dyes targeted by 31 state bills. Banned or restricted in several EU nations.
GRAS — Under State Review
1,980-to-1: Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey earned 1,980 times the median employee wage in 2024. The company sells a product where a 20-oz bottle contains nearly double the daily added sugar recommendation — then markets it with images of polar bears and family gatherings. It is one of the most consumed beverages in the communities with the highest diabetes rates in America.
SC
Steve Cahillane
CEO — Kraft Heinz — Appointed January 2026. Previously Chairman/CEO of Kellanova (Pringles, Pop-Tarts).
~$17M
Prior Year Comp (Carlos Abrams-Rivera, FY2024)
Majority owner: Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett) — 27.5%
Products & Their GRAS Ingredients
Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs / Bologna
2 GRAS flags
▾
Sodium Nitrite
WHO Group 1 carcinogen when found in processed meats. Converts to nitrosamines — potent carcinogens — when heated. Directly linked to colorectal and stomach cancer.
GRAS — WHO Group 1 Carcinogen Class
Mechanically Separated Chicken/Turkey
High sodium content compounds cardiovascular risk alongside nitrite exposure.
GRAS — High Sodium / Cardiovascular Risk
Lunchables (Ham & Cheddar / Turkey)
3 GRAS flags
▾
Sodium Nitrite
In the deli meat component. Marketed to children. A product containing a WHO Group 1 carcinogen class ingredient is the #1 selling school lunchbox item in America.
GRAS — WHO Group 1 Carcinogen Class
Modified Food Starch
Highly processed filler with high glycemic index. Contributes to blood sugar spikes in children.
GRAS — Processed Filler
Sodium Phosphate
Research links high phosphate food additive levels to accelerated vascular aging and increased mortality rates at high consumption.
GRAS — Vascular Aging Risk
Velveeta Shells & Cheese
2 GRAS flags
▾
Sodium Phosphate
Used as an emulsifier. At high dietary levels, linked to accelerated aging and cardiovascular damage.
GRAS — Vascular Risk at High Intake
Carrageenan
Linked to gut inflammation in animal and cell studies. CSPI recommends avoidance.
GRAS — CSPI: Avoid
Marketing to Children: Lunchables — built on sodium nitrite-cured processed meat — is one of the top-selling products marketed directly to American children. The same ingredient class has been classified by the WHO as Group 1 carcinogenic in processed meats. Kraft Heinz spent $1.4 billion in advertising in 2023.
JH
Jeffrey Harmening
Chairman & CEO — General Mills — CEO since 2017
~$16M
Total Compensation 2024 (SEC Filing)
90% of pay is performance-variable per General Mills proxy
Products & Their GRAS Ingredients
Lucky Charms
3 GRAS flags
▾
Red Dye No. 40
Petroleum-derived. Linked to hyperactivity in children. Targeted by legislation in 31 states. Banned or restricted in the EU for children's products.
GRAS — 31 State Bills Pending Removal
Blue Dye No. 1 & No. 2
Synthetic petroleum-derived dyes. Blue No. 2 linked to brain tumors in animal studies (male rats). Targeted by 31-state legislative push.
GRAS — Under Legislative Pressure
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
Used as a preservative. Potential endocrine disruptor. Added to cereal marketed to children.
GRAS — Potential Endocrine Disruptor
Yoplait Original Strawberry Yogurt
2 GRAS flags
▾
Carrageenan
Used as a thickener and stabilizer. Linked to gut inflammation. CSPI recommends avoidance. Particularly concerning in products consumed daily.
GRAS — Gut Inflammation Risk
Modified Corn Starch / Corn Starch
High glycemic index filler. Contributes to blood sugar spikes when consumed daily in "health" products like yogurt.
GRAS — High Glycemic Filler
Nature Valley Granola Bars (Oats & Honey)
1 GRAS flag
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup / Sugar
Marketed as a "natural" snack. Contains HFCS or high amounts of added sugar — linked to diabetes and obesity at regular consumption.
GRAS — "Natural" Health Halo Marketing
Whole Grain Oats, Almonds, Canola Oil
No major GRAS concerns for these ingredients.
No Current Flag
The Health Halo: General Mills sells Lucky Charms — packed with synthetic petroleum-derived dyes linked to hyperactivity in children — and Nature Valley — marketed as a "natural" granola bar with added sugar. The FDA allows the word "natural" on food labels with no definition. General Mills spent approximately $800M in advertising in 2023.
PN
Philipp Navratil
CEO — Nestlé S.A. — Appointed September 2024. Former CEO of Nespresso.
~$12M
Est. Total Compensation (Swiss disclosure)
World's largest food company by revenue
Products & Their GRAS Ingredients
Hot Pockets (Ham & Cheese)
3 GRAS flags
▾
Sodium Nitrite
In the ham component. WHO Group 1 carcinogen class in processed meats. Standard in shelf-stable processed meat products.
GRAS — WHO Group 1 Carcinogen Class
TBHQ (Tert-Butylhydroquinone)
Petroleum-derived preservative used in the pastry component. Linked to stomach tumors at high doses. Banned in Japan.
GRAS — Banned in Japan
Sodium Phosphate
Emulsifier linked to accelerated vascular aging at high dietary intake levels.
GRAS — Vascular Risk
Coffee-Mate (Original Liquid)
2 GRAS flags
▾
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean & Cottonseed Oils
Trans fats officially banned in 2018, but some Coffee-Mate formulations lingered. Raises LDL cholesterol. Linked to heart disease and stroke.
Trans Fats — Now Banned (2018)
Carrageenan
Used as an emulsifier/thickener. Linked to intestinal inflammation in cell and animal research.
GRAS — CSPI: Avoid
Nesquik Chocolate Powder
1 GRAS flag
▾
High Fructose Corn Syrup / Added Sugar
Heavily sweetened product marketed to children. 14g of added sugar per 2-tbsp serving. Linked to obesity, diabetes, and liver disease at regular intake in children.
GRAS — Child Marketing Concern
The World's Largest Food Company: Nestlé is the largest food company on earth by revenue. A 2021 internal Nestlé document leaked to the Financial Times admitted that more than 60% of its mainstream food and beverage portfolio did not meet a "recognized definition of health." Their own words. Their products remain unchanged in most categories.
DK
Donnie King
President & CEO — Tyson Foods — CEO since June 2021. Started at Tyson in 1982 in the poultry segment.
$22.8M
Total Compensation FY2024 (SEC Filing)
525× the median Tyson worker's pay ($43,417/yr) — jumped to $34.5M in FY2025
Products & Their GRAS Ingredients
Tyson Chicken Nuggets (Original)
2 GRAS flags
▾
TBHQ (Tert-Butylhydroquinone)
Petroleum-derived preservative in the frying oil. Linked to stomach tumors at high doses. Banned in Japan. The #1 selling chicken nugget brand in America uses an ingredient banned by a foreign food safety agency.
GRAS — Banned in Japan
Modified Food Starch / Sodium Phosphate
High-processing fillers used in the nugget coating. Sodium phosphate at high dietary levels linked to accelerated vascular aging and increased mortality.
GRAS — Vascular Risk at High Intake
Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage / Bacon
2 GRAS flags
▾
Sodium Nitrite
WHO Group 1 carcinogen classification in processed meats. Converts to nitrosamines when cooked at high heat — as in frying bacon. Directly linked to colorectal and stomach cancer. Present across virtually all Tyson processed meat products.
GRAS — WHO Group 1 Carcinogen Class
Sodium Erythorbate
Used with sodium nitrite to accelerate curing and maintain pink color. Amplifies nitrite's carcinogenic conversion process.
GRAS — Amplifies Nitrite Risk
Ball Park Beef Hot Dogs
2 GRAS flags
▾
Sodium Nitrite
WHO Group 1 carcinogen class in processed meats. A product primarily marketed for cookouts and children's meals contains an ingredient in the same WHO carcinogen category as cigarettes and asbestos.
GRAS — WHO Group 1 Carcinogen Class
Corn Syrup / Dextrose
Added sugars in a savory meat product. Contributes to overall dietary sugar load. Linked to diabetes and obesity at chronic intake levels.
GRAS — Added Sugar in Savory Product
Wright Brand Thick Cut Bacon
1 GRAS flag
▾
Sodium Nitrite
Present in every cured bacon product Tyson sells. Tyson is the largest meat company in the US. They produce more sodium nitrite-cured meat than any other company in the country.
GRAS — WHO Group 1 Carcinogen Class
$34.5M While Losing $1 Billion: In FY2025, Tyson's beef segment posted losses exceeding $1 billion. CEO Donnie King's compensation increased 51% anyway — to $34.5 million. That same year, Tyson laid off nearly 5,000 workers at beef processing plants in Nebraska and Texas. The median Tyson worker earns $43,206 per year. King earns that amount every 11 hours. Every product profile above contains sodium nitrite — a WHO Group 1 carcinogen class ingredient. Tyson is the largest producer of it in the United States.