Partially hydrogenated oil, and why it caps a verdict
Partially hydrogenated oil carries the heaviest single penalty in Verella, heavier than any nutrition number. A product can have good macros on the front of the pack and still be capped by this one line in the ingredients.
The 2 flags
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Partially hydrogenated oil Caps the verdict
Contains partially hydrogenated oil (a source of artificial trans fat), which health authorities recommend avoiding. Many similar products use a non-hydrogenated oil.
Verella looks for: The words "partially hydrogenated", "hydrogenated oil" or "hydrogenated vegetable" anywhere in the ingredients
Source: US FDA final determination removing partially hydrogenated oils from the GRAS list (2015, compliance 2018); World Health Organization REPLACE action package on trans fat
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Potassium bromate Caps the verdict
Contains potassium bromate, a flour treatment that several countries no longer permit. You may wish to choose a bromate-free product.
Verella looks for: Additive E924, or the words "potassium bromate" or "bromated flour"
Source: IARC Group 2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans; not permitted in the EU, the UK or Canada
Both of these are ingredients where a named regulator has already acted, which is why they cap the verdict instead of just adding a note. Nutrition on the front of the pack cannot outweigh them.
How a flag changes the verdict
A capping flag is the one case where nothing else on the label matters. A product can be high in protein, low in sugar and a perfect fit for your goal, and one line in the ingredient list still takes it to Best avoided. A caution is weaker: on its own it holds the verdict at Better occasionally at best, and two cautions together take it to the bottom.
The rest of the watchlist
Your condition rules run alongside these on every scan.