Do Stauffer's Animal Crackers Have HFCS? Barnum's Don't

Do Stauffer's animal crackers have high fructose corn syrup? Yes: Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers list HFCS as the fourth ingredient, while Barnum's Animals Crackers from Nabisco list sugar, dextrose and fructose and no HFCS. Both list 120 calories and 7 g of added sugars per serving, and they differ on serving size, calcium, sodium and advisory allergen statements. Label figures here come from the label photos on Open Food Facts for Barnum's and Stauffer's, so the package in hand is the final reference.

Key takeaways

• Barnum's label lists no HFCS. Its sweeteners are sugar, dextrose, and fructose. Stauffer's lists HFCS as the fourth ingredient.
• Both list 120 calories and 7 g added sugars (14% DV) per serving. Serving sizes differ: 28 g (1 pack) for Barnum's and 30 g (16 crackers) for Stauffer's.
• Barnum's shows 130 mg calcium (10% DV) from calcium carbonate. Stauffer's calcium value was not legible on the label photo.
• Sodium is 85 mg (4% DV) for Barnum's and 105 mg (5% DV) for Stauffer's per serving.
• Both contain wheat and soy. Stauffer's carries a 'may contain egg, milk' advisory, while the Barnum's label photo shows only 'Contains: wheat, soy.'

At a glance, per serving as printed on each label

Per serving	Barnum's Animals Crackers (Nabisco)	Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers
Serving size	1 pack (28 g), 10 servings per container	16 crackers (30 g)
Calories	120	120
HFCS in ingredients	Not listed	Listed as 4th ingredient
Added sugars	7 g (14% DV)	7 g (14% DV)
Sodium	85 mg (4% DV)	105 mg (5% DV)
Calcium	130 mg (10% DV), from calcium carbonate	Not legible on label photo
Total fat	3.5 g (4% DV)	2 g (3% DV)
Dietary fiber	0 g	1 g (4% DV)
Contains	Wheat, soy	Soy, wheat
May contain	Not shown on label photo	Egg, milk

Which Animal Cracker Has High Fructose Corn Syrup: Barnum's or Stauffer's?

Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers list high fructose corn syrup in their ingredients, while Barnum's Animals Crackers do not. Barnum's lists sugar, dextrose, and fructose as its sweeteners.

Stauffer's ingredients run: enriched flour, sugar, soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, salt, baking soda, soy lecithin, natural flavor, and spice. US labels list ingredients in descending order by weight, so HFCS sits fourth. Neither label gives gram amounts for any sweetener.

Do Stauffer's Animal Crackers Have High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Yes. Both Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers entries on Open Food Facts list high fructose corn syrup in the ingredient statement, fourth after enriched flour, sugar and soybean oil. For a related HFCS label comparison, see Does Mrs. Butterworth's Have HFCS? Yes; Log Cabin Uses Corn Syrup.

How Much Added Sugar Is in Barnum's vs Stauffer's Animal Crackers Per Serving?

Each serving of both products lists 7 g of added sugars, which is 14% of the Daily Value. Barnum's serving is one 28 g pack, and Stauffer's serving is 16 crackers, or 30 g.

FDA counts sugars added during processing, such as sucrose or dextrose, and sugars from syrups. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day, and FDA's added sugars guide uses 7 g as its own example of 14% of that value, the same figure printed on both labels.

Do Animal Crackers Have a Lot of Sugar?

Per serving, both labels show 7 g of added sugars, or 14% of the 50 g Daily Value. Whether that counts as a lot depends on how many servings are eaten and what else is eaten that day. The Dietary Guidelines, as cited by FDA, recommend that everyone limit all added sugars, including HFCS and sucrose. For age-based amounts, see How Much Added Sugar Should Kids Have a Day? By Age, in Grams.

How Much Calcium Is in Barnum's vs Stauffer's Animal Crackers Per Serving?

Barnum's lists 130 mg of calcium per serving, which is 10% of the Daily Value, from added calcium carbonate. Stauffer's calcium amount was not legible on the label photo.

Barnum's also lists 0.8 mg iron (4% DV), 20 mg potassium (0% DV), and 0 mcg vitamin D. Stauffer's iron and potassium values were too small to read, so they were not disclosed. A label value shows the amount per serving, not how much a person absorbs.

How Much Sodium Is in Barnum's vs Stauffer's Animal Crackers Per Serving?

Stauffer's lists 105 mg of sodium per 30 g serving (5% DV), and Barnum's lists 85 mg per 28 g serving (4% DV). That is a 20 mg gap per listed serving.

Which Allergens Are Listed on Barnum's vs Stauffer's Animal Crackers Labels?

Both labels name wheat and soy in their Contains statements. Stauffer's also carries a 'may contain egg, milk' advisory, and the Barnum's label photo shows no advisory.

FDA's nine major allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. FDA states that advisory statements such as 'may contain' are not required by law and address unavoidable cross-contact.

Are Barnum's Animal Crackers Dairy Free?

The Barnum's label does not list milk as an ingredient, but it does not state that the product is dairy free. Whether it is made on lines shared with milk products was not disclosed.

Are Stauffer's Animal Crackers Nut Free?

The Stauffer's labels provided do not list tree nuts or peanuts, and the advisory names only egg and milk. Neither label carries a nut-free claim, and nut handling at the plant was not disclosed.

Do Animal Crackers Have Eggs?

Neither label lists eggs as an ingredient. Stauffer's 'may contain egg' advisory signals possible cross-contact, and the Barnum's label photo shows no egg statement. Barnum's label also says 'CONTAINS A BIOENGINEERED FOOD INGREDIENT,' which the Stauffer's entries do not show.

Do Barnum's and Stauffer's Animal Crackers Differ in Serving Size and Calories?

Both list 120 calories, but Barnum's serving is one 28 g pack and Stauffer's is 16 crackers at 30 g. The same calorie figure therefore covers slightly different weights.

• Barnum's: 3.5 g total fat (4% DV), 0.5 g saturated fat (3% DV), 22 g carbohydrate (8% DV), 0 g fiber, 2 g protein.
• Stauffer's: 2 g total fat (3% DV), 0 g saturated fat, 24 g carbohydrate (9% DV), 1 g fiber (4% DV), 2 g protein.
• Another Stauffer's entry lists 25 g carbohydrate, so carbohydrate figures vary across listings.

What Does FDA Say About HFCS in Stauffer's Animal Crackers?

FDA says it is not aware of evidence of a safety difference between foods containing HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 and foods containing similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners with about equal glucose and fructose content, such as sucrose or honey. FDA's HFCS questions and answers note that the most common forms contain either 42 or 55 percent fructose, with the rest glucose and water, and that the Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting all added sugars, HFCS and sucrose included.

How Can You Check the Sweeteners on Your Own Animal Cracker Package?

The ingredient list on the package is the final reference, because label versions change and online photos may not match the box on the shelf.

• Read the ingredient list on the physical package and find each sweetener name.
• Confirm the serving size line, since 16 crackers and 1 pack use different weights.
• Compare the Contains and May contain lines with your own allergy needs.
• Treat online figures, including this article's, as secondary to the printed Nutrition Facts panel.

Who Should Pay Closest Attention to These Label Differences?

People with wheat, soy, egg, or milk allergies, and people tracking sodium or added sugar, may find these label details most relevant. Advisory statements are voluntary and do not confirm whether an allergen is present, and a clinician or allergist can advise on reading labels for a specific allergy.