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Philadelphia Original

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Common questions

Is Philadelphia Original healthy?

Philadelphia Original scores 78/100 on Scout's independent analysis of ingredients, additives, and lab results — a fair-to-good score — solid, with tradeoffs. Philadelphia Original cream cheese is made with pasteurized milk and cream, which are beneficial for providing essential nutrients like calcium and protein.

How processed is Philadelphia Original?

Philadelphia Original is NOVA Group 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients.

Which ingredients drive Philadelphia Original's score?

In Scout's ingredient-by-ingredient analysis, Cream, Cheese Culture count in its favor. The full breakdown, with why each one matters, is in the Key ingredients section on this page.

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Philadelphia Original

Philadelphia
78 Good

Analysis updated June 2026 · How Scout scores

$3.49 · 8 oz · $0.44 / ounce
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At a glance

Beneficial ingredients 2
Harmful ingredients 0
Owned by Kraft Heinz
Category Cheese
Summary

Philadelphia Original cream cheese is made with pasteurized milk and cream, which are beneficial for providing essential nutrients like calcium and protein. However, the presence of vegetable gums such as locust bean and guar gum, used as thickening agents, adds to the processing level and can lead to digestive issues if consumed in excess. Despite these additives, the product maintains a relatively clean label with minimal harmful ingredients.

Key ingredients 8

Cream
Good

Traditional whole-fat dairy ingredient.

See more about Cream →
Cheese Culture
Good

Beneficial ingredient — whole-food or functional value in this product class.

See more about Cheese Culture →
Pasteurized Milk
Neutral

Pasteurized milk is a common dairy ingredient that has been heat-treated for safety, maintaining its nutritional value without added risks.

See more about Pasteurized Milk →
Salt
Neutral

Standard formulation ingredient — neither beneficial nor harmful at typical use.

See more about Salt →
Carob Bean Gum
Neutral

Carob bean gum is a natural thickening agent derived from legumes, used to improve texture without added health concerns.

See more about Carob Bean Gum →
Vegetable Gums (Locust Bean and/or Guar)
Neutral

These vegetable gums are natural stabilizers and thickeners that are widely used in food processing for texture improvement.

Milk Solids
Neutral

Milk solids are concentrated dairy components that add creaminess and flavor without introducing harmful substances.

See more about Milk Solids →
Starter Culture
Neutral

Starter cultures are beneficial bacteria used in fermentation, supporting natural flavor development and food safety.

See more about Starter Culture →

Processing

Group 2 · Culinary ingredients

Processed Culinary Ingredients

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