Does SpaghettiOs Have Red 40? No: vs Chef Boyardee ABC's

TL;DR: Neither label names Red 40. The two differ mainly in per-cup sodium and added sugar, and both list high fructose corn syrup.

Neither listed ingredient statement for Campbell's SpaghettiOs Original or Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's names Red 40. SpaghettiOs lists beta carotene and paprika extract for color, while the Chef Boyardee list names no color additive. Per-cup figures are 570 mg sodium for SpaghettiOs and 600 mg for Chef Boyardee.

Key takeaways

• Neither listed ingredient statement names Red 40. SpaghettiOs Original lists beta carotene and paprika extract, and the Chef Boyardee list names no color additive.
• Both products list high fructose corn syrup in the main ingredient statement, so shoppers avoiding HFCS need to check both cans.
• Per 1 cup, SpaghettiOs Original has 570 mg sodium and 6 g added sugar. Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's has 600 mg sodium and 8 g added sugar on its SmartLabel per-cup view. Figures are labeled per 1 cup unless marked per container.

Is Campbell's SpaghettiOs Original Free of Red 40 According to Its Listed Ingredients?

Yes. The listed ingredients for SpaghettiOs Original do not include Red 40. The colors named on the list are beta carotene and paprika extract.

The Campbell's product page gives the ingredients as: Water, Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Enriched Pasta (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Salt, Enzyme Modified Cheddar Cheese (Cheddar Cheese [Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Salt, Milkfat, Disodium Phosphate, Enzymes, Xanthan Gum), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, And/Or Soybean), Beta Carotene, Citric Acid, Paprika Extract, Onion Extract, Natural Flavoring. The allergen line reads Contains: Wheat, Milk.

Whether every SpaghettiOs can on shelves uses this exact list is not disclosed. Older Open Food Facts records show different recipes, including versions with carrot juice concentrate or potassium chloride.

Does SpaghettiOs have Red 40?

No. The listed ingredients for SpaghettiOs Original do not include Red 40, and the product page does not name any FD&C certified color.

Is Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's Free of Red 40 According to Its Listed Ingredients?

Yes. The listed ingredients for Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's do not name Red 40 or any other FD&C certified color. The product is Pasta In Tomato & Cheese Sauce (without meatballs), NET WT 15 OZ (425g), UPC 064144041664.

The Open Food Facts record and the SmartLabel ingredient tab both list water, tomato puree, enriched pasta, high fructose corn syrup, cheese flavor, bleached wheat flour, potassium chloride, modified corn starch, tricalcium phosphate, flavoring, onion powder, citric acid, and soybean oil, among other items. The tomato puree is the only listed source of the sauce's red color.

The SmartLabel carries the note 'Information updated on 11-Sep-2025 by Chef Boyardee' and names Hometown Food Company as distributor. The brand product page links to this SmartLabel.

What Colors Do SpaghettiOs Original and Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's Use?

SpaghettiOs Original names two colors, beta carotene and paprika extract, while the Chef Boyardee list names no color additive at all. The two labels therefore describe color in different ways.

The FDA requires that certified color additives be named on the label, for example FD&C Blue No. 1 (also written Blue 1). Exempt colors, which include pigments from natural sources, are not certified in the same way. Beta-carotene (yellow to orange) is given as an example of an exempt color, and FDA states that exempt colors still require FDA approval.

FD&C Red No. 40 is a certified color, and the FDA lists it for uses including cereal, beverages, gelatins, puddings, dairy products, and confections. Neither of these labels lists it.

Neither label states which FDA color category paprika extract falls into, so this page does not classify it. For more on how colors appear on labels, see the color added vs named colors guide. For another side-by-side on a dye question, see Skittles vs M&M's: Which Has More Dyes? Both Use the Same 5.

Where Does High Fructose Corn Syrup Appear on These Two Canned Pasta Labels?

High fructose corn syrup appears in the main ingredient statement of both products, before each label's less-than-2% section. On SpaghettiOs Original it comes right after enriched pasta. On Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's it is also in the main ingredient statement, before the less-than-2% section.

Shoppers avoiding HFCS need to check both cans. The Nutrition Facts panel lists added sugars as one figure, so it does not show how much of that total comes from HFCS.

Does Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's have high fructose corn syrup?

Yes. High fructose corn syrup is in the listed ingredients for Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's, in the main ingredient statement before the less-than-2% section.

How Much Sodium Is in One Cup of SpaghettiOs vs Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's?

Per 1 cup, SpaghettiOs Original has 570 mg of sodium (25% DV), and Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's has 600 mg (26% DV) on its SmartLabel per-cup view. The gram weight of 1 cup is not disclosed for either product.

Per container, both products list 1010 mg of sodium (44% DV). The Campbell's page lists 15.8 oz and 22.4 oz cans but does not say which one its per-container column describes, while the Chef Boyardee container is one 425 g can. Because those serving bases may differ, the container figures should not be treated as directly equal.

The FDA lists the Daily Value for sodium as less than 2,300 mg per day. The FDA also notes that recommended limits for children under age 14 are lower.

How Much Added Sugar Is in One Cup of SpaghettiOs vs Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's?

Per 1 cup, SpaghettiOs Original has 6 g of added sugars (12% DV), and Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's has 8 g (16% DV) on its SmartLabel per-cup view. Total sugars are 10 g per cup for both.

Per container, SpaghettiOs lists 11 g of added sugars (22% DV), and Chef Boyardee's can lists 14 g (28% DV). The FDA Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How Do the Two Labels Compare in a Side-by-Side Table of Key Facts?

The two labels match on calories and fiber per cup and differ on sodium, added sugar, fat, protein, calcium, iron, and potassium. The table uses per-cup figures unless a row is labeled per container.

Fact	SpaghettiOs Original	Chef Boyardee Mini ABC's & 123's
Red 40 in ingredient list	Not listed	Not listed
Color-related ingredients named	Beta carotene, paprika extract	No color additive named
High fructose corn syrup	Listed	Listed
Calories (1 cup)	170	170
Total fat (1 cup)	1.5 g (2% DV)	1 g (1% DV)
Saturated fat (1 cup)	0.5 g (3% DV)	0 g
Trans fat (1 cup)	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol (1 cup)	Less than 5 mg	0 mg
Sodium (1 cup)	570 mg (25% DV)	600 mg (26% DV)
Total carbohydrate (1 cup)	35 g (13% DV)	36 g (13% DV)
Dietary fiber (1 cup)	2 g (7% DV)	2 g (7% DV)
Total sugars (1 cup)	10 g	10 g
Added sugars (1 cup)	6 g (12% DV)	8 g (16% DV)
Protein (1 cup)	5 g	4 g
Calcium (1 cup)	30 mg	110 mg (8% DV)
Iron (1 cup)	1.7 mg (10% DV)	1.1 mg (6% DV)
Potassium (1 cup)	270 mg	650 mg (15% DV)
Sodium (per container)	1010 mg (44% DV)	1010 mg (44% DV)
Added sugars (per container)	11 g (22% DV)	14 g (28% DV)
Serving basis for container	Can size not stated (15.8 oz and 22.4 oz cans sold)	One 425 g can
Allergens listed	Milk and wheat	Milk and wheat

The per-container rows should be read against their own serving basis, as explained in the sodium and added sugar sections above.

How Can Shoppers Verify Red 40, HFCS, Sodium, and Added Sugar on the Package?

Shoppers can confirm these facts on any can by reading the ingredient statement for Red 40, other FD&C names, and high fructose corn syrup, then comparing the Nutrition Facts panel with the figures above. Use this checklist on the package in hand:

• Read the full ingredient statement for Red 40, other FD&C names, and high fructose corn syrup.
• Find the two columns on the Nutrition Facts panel, one per serving and one per package. The FDA notes that the serving size is not a recommendation.
• Confirm the can size and whether the unit is a cup or a container before comparing.
• Compare added sugars on the panel with the 6 g and 8 g per-cup figures above, and note any difference.
• Compare sodium using the % Daily Value, with the FDA's 2,300 mg reference in mind.

These facts describe two specific labels as listed at the cited pages. They cannot establish how any individual responds to these ingredients, they do not cover other can sizes or varieties such as meatball or character-shape products, and they do not settle open research questions about synthetic dyes in children or other groups. People with milk or wheat allergies should note that both products list milk and wheat.