Hidden Valley vs Ken's Ranch: Both Have MSG, 130 vs 140 Calories

Hidden Valley The Original Ranch and Ken's Steak House Ranch share most of their additive list, including monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, sorbic acid, and calcium disodium EDTA. The clearest label differences are in the numbers and the allergen wording: per 2 tbsp, Hidden Valley lists 130 calories and 260 mg sodium, while Ken's lists 140 calories and 290 mg sodium, and Ken's ingredient list names egg yolk directly.

TL;DR: The two ranch dressings share most additives, so the practical differences are the per-serving numbers and how each label declares egg and oil.

Key takeaways

• Both bottles list monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, sorbic acid, and calcium disodium EDTA. Ken's also lists glutamic acid.
• Per 2 tbsp, Hidden Valley lists 130 calories, 13 g total fat, 260 mg sodium, and 0 mg cholesterol. Ken's lists 140 calories, 15 g total fat, 290 mg sodium, and 10 mg cholesterol.
• Ken's ingredient list includes egg yolk. Hidden Valley's label declares 'Contains: Milk, Egg, Soy' without naming an egg ingredient.
• Federal rules under 21 CFR 172.120 permit calcium disodium EDTA as a food additive with use limits, including a 75 ppm preservative limit for nonstandardized dressings.

Hidden Valley vs Ken's Ranch: Side-by-Side Label Comparison at a Glance

Both products are 16 oz bottles of shelf-stable ranch dressing. The table uses each brand's product data (Hidden Valley, Ken's), with the Open Food Facts record for Ken's as a cross-check. Some third-party pages still show older ingredient text for Hidden Valley, so the table follows the current brand label.

Factor	Hidden Valley The Original Ranch	Ken's Steak House Ranch
Container	16 oz, UPC 0 71100 00551 6	16 oz, UPC 41335-33218
Servings per container	About 16	16
Serving size	2 tbsp (30 mL)	2 Tbsp (30 g)
Calories	130	140
Total fat	13 g (17% DV)	15 g (19% DV)
Saturated fat	2 g	2.5 g (13% DV)
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	10 mg
Sodium	260 mg (11% DV)	290 mg (13% DV)
Total carbohydrate	1 g	2 g
Total sugars	1 g, including 1 g added	1 g, including 1 g added
Protein	0 g	0 g
Allergen wording	Contains: Milk, Egg, Soy	Milk and egg (brand data)
Gluten-free claim	Labeled gluten-free	Not stated in the brand data
Label year	Brand back-label image dated ©2023	Not disclosed

The ©2023 date applies to the brand back-label image for Hidden Valley. A 2025 Open Food Facts user photo of a ©2024 squeeze-bottle label shows the same panel and ingredients.

Which Ingredients Do Hidden Valley and Ken's Ranch Share, and Where Do They Differ?

The two ingredient lists overlap more than many shoppers expect. Both include monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, sorbic acid, calcium disodium EDTA, phosphoric acid, xanthan gum, and disodium phosphate. Both lists also include sugar and salt. On Hidden Valley's label, vinegar, garlic, and onion appear under the 'Less Than 1% of' phrase, which means they are present in small amounts.

The differences are mostly in the oil source and the dairy and egg ingredients. Ken's lists egg yolk, cream, whey, milk, sour cream powder, and buttermilk solids as separate entries. Hidden Valley lists buttermilk and no egg ingredient. Ken's oil is listed as soybean oil, while Hidden Valley lists its oil as soybean and/or canola.

• Shared additives: monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, sorbic acid, calcium disodium EDTA, phosphoric acid, xanthan gum, disodium phosphate
• Listed only on Ken's: egg yolk, cream, whey, milk, sour cream powder, lactic acid, citric acid, sodium sulfate, glutamic acid
• Oil source: Hidden Valley lists soybean and/or canola; Ken's lists soybean oil only.

Both labels group some ingredients under a 'less than' phrase. Hidden Valley uses 'Less Than 1% of,' and Ken's uses 'Contains Less Than 2% Of.' Ingredients in that group are present in small amounts, and their order does not show relative quantities.

For another line-by-line ingredient read on a different product type, see Coffee mate vs International Delight: Ingredients and Sugar.

How Federal Rules Classify the Shared Additives

Regulators classify additives by use and by limit, not by a single answer for every person. The statements below describe what federal rules permit or classify. They do not measure how any individual will respond.

What preservatives are in Hidden Valley ranch?

Hidden Valley lists sorbic acid and calcium disodium EDTA, with its label saying both are 'added to preserve freshness.' The label does not state the amount of either additive per 2 tbsp (30 mL) serving, and Ken's brand data did not disclose the amount of either additive in the bottle, so the two products cannot be compared by amount.

Under 21 CFR 182.3089, sorbic acid is 'generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice.'

What limit do federal rules set for calcium disodium EDTA in dressing?

Federal rules set a 75 ppm limit for calcium disodium EDTA as a preservative in nonstandardized dressings, under 21 CFR 172.120. Neither brand disclosed its actual ppm level, so the label cannot show how close either bottle is to that limit.

Does Hidden Valley ranch have MSG?

Yes. Hidden Valley lists monosodium glutamate under 'Less Than 1% of,' and the label does not state milligrams per 2 tbsp (30 mL) serving. FDA considers added MSG GRAS, and it must be declared by the name 'monosodium glutamate.' The details are on FDA's MSG questions and answers page.

Does Ken's ranch have MSG?

Yes. Ken's lists monosodium glutamate under 'Contains Less Than 2% Of,' and the brand data does not state milligrams per 2 Tbsp (30 g) serving. It uses the same declared name FDA requires for added MSG.

FDA's MSG questions and answers note that a review by FASEB found possible mild, transient symptoms in some sensitive people at 3 g or more eaten without food. FDA also notes that a typical serving with added MSG contains less than 0.5 g. Neither label states milligrams of MSG per serving, so this article cannot compare the two bottles on that figure.

What Do the Calories, Fat, Sodium, and Sugar Per 2 Tbsp Show for Each Ranch?

Hidden Valley vs Ken's ranch calories: what is the difference per serving?

Hidden Valley lists 130 calories per 2 tbsp (30 mL) serving, and Ken's lists 140 calories per 2 Tbsp (30 g) serving, a 10-calorie difference on the labels.

Total fat is 13 g (17% DV) for Hidden Valley and 15 g (19% DV) for Ken's. Saturated fat is 2 g for Hidden Valley and 2.5 g (13% DV) for Ken's. Both list 0 g trans fat.

Sodium is 260 mg (11% DV) for Hidden Valley and 290 mg (13% DV) for Ken's. Cholesterol is 0 mg for Hidden Valley and 10 mg for Ken's. Total carbohydrate is 1 g for Hidden Valley and 2 g for Ken's. Both list 1 g total sugars, including 1 g added sugars, and 0 g protein.

Serving size drives these numbers. The Nutrition Facts panel on the bottle you own is the reference for that package, and brand web data may differ from it.

Why Does Ken's List Egg Yolk While Hidden Valley Only Declares Egg?

Ken's ingredient list names egg yolk as its fourth ingredient, and its listed allergens are milk and egg. Hidden Valley's label declares 'Contains: Milk, Egg, Soy,' and its ingredient list does not name an egg ingredient. Both labels therefore declare egg, using different wording in different parts of the label. Why Hidden Valley declares egg without naming an egg ingredient was not disclosed.

Ken's soybean oil is listed in its ingredients, and Hidden Valley declares soy in its allergen line. Readers with soy sensitivity should read the allergen statement on their own bottle.

Who Should Check These Labels Closely? Allergy, Sodium, and Additive Sensitivity Notes

Some readers may need to read these labels more carefully than others:

• Egg or milk allergy: both products declare milk and egg, so the allergen statement on your own bottle matters.
• Soy sensitivity: Hidden Valley declares soy, and Ken's lists soybean oil.
• Sodium tracking: Hidden Valley lists 260 mg per serving and Ken's lists 290 mg, so portion size changes the total.
• MSG sensitivity: FDA describes mild, transient symptoms reported in some sensitive people at high intakes without food, and both labels declare MSG.

Neither the federal limits nor FDA's MSG notes establish a personal threshold. Anyone with a medical condition or allergy should ask a clinician for guidance.

How to Spot Sorbic Acid, MSG, Disodium Inosinate, and EDTA on Any Ranch Label

Use this checklist on any ranch bottle:

• Look for 'monosodium glutamate' by that exact name. FDA requires added MSG to be declared this way.
• Look for 'disodium inosinate' and 'disodium guanylate,' which often appear together with MSG.
• Look for 'sorbic acid' and 'calcium disodium EDTA,' and check whether the label gives a function, such as 'preservative' or 'to protect flavor.'
• Read the 'Contains' line separately from the ingredient list, since allergens may be declared in either place.
• Check whether ingredients sit under a 'less than' phrase, which signals small amounts.
• Compare sodium and sugar per serving with the serving size printed on your bottle.

For more on sodium additives such as MSG and disodium phosphate, see Sodium Beyond Salt: 6 Scanned Labels With Sodium Additives.

Which Alternatives Appear on Ranch Labels, and What Did Neither Brand Disclose?

Both ranch dressings use oil, buttermilk or dairy ingredients, and flavor enhancers, with different sources for each. Hidden Valley uses soybean and/or canola oil, while Ken's uses soybean oil. Ken's adds cream, whey, and sour cream powder, while Hidden Valley lists buttermilk alone.

The following were not disclosed in the brand data for either product:

• The ppm level of calcium disodium EDTA in either bottle
• The amount of sorbic acid in either bottle
• Milligrams of MSG per serving
• Whether either brand plans to remove MSG or calcium disodium EDTA
• Why Hidden Valley declares egg without naming an egg ingredient
• The label copyright year for Ken's
• Any comparative taste, quality, or health ranking

The absence of a disclosure does not mean a product lacks an ingredient or a limit. It means the label and brand data used here do not state it.

If you want to read each ingredient in a bottle of ranch with cited evidence, scan the label yourself with the Aurascan app. It is a food-label scanner for iPhone with a free tier. It explains each ingredient one by one instead of giving a single score, so you can compare the same additives across any products you check.

Related reading: What's the Difference Between Wish-Bone and Newman's Own? Cheese.