Sara Lee
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Sara Lee, current as of September 2026. Screening averages and flag shares live in the short-answer band below. This hero only situates the catalog slice.
The short answer
Sara Lee averages 94.2/100 across the 127 of 177 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 33.9% of those contain at least one separately flagged ingredient. The figure summarizes Open Food Facts labels cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI; it does not establish recall status, allergy suitability, or the composition of products outside this snapshot.
- 94.2/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 127 scored products
- 177
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 33.9%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 96%
- of NOVA-classified products that are ultra-processed (Group 4)
Source snapshot current as of September 2026; open individual products before making a product-specific decision.
Portfolio reading
Use the distribution, then open the outliers
With 177 tracked products, the useful signal is the shape of the portfolio rather than one headline score. The current concern-sorted list begins Blueberry flavored deluxe bagels, blueberry; French Style Classic Cheesecake; Sara lee, peanut butter creme cakes; 33.9% of records contain at least one flagged ingredient while the overall mean is 94.2/100. Open those outliers first, then compare neighboring formulations. The aggregate does not establish recall status, allergen suitability, or the composition of an item outside this snapshot.
Catalog evidence
Ingredient-list coverage comes before the score
Only 127 of 177 tracked Sara Lee records (71.8%) include an ingredient list. The remaining 50 cannot be screened, so the 94.2/100 mean describes the labelled subset rather than the whole brand.
Next check: use the product rows below to verify the labelled subset, then compare the current package for any unscored item.
What the Data Says About Sara Lee
Sara Lee: 177 products tracked, 127 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 94.2/100, 33.9% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Because ingredient lists cover only 71.8% of tracked records, this average is a description of the labelled subset, not a brand-wide tier. The coverage gap is the dominant limitation. Scoring methodology + dye-pledge context →
Among the 804 brands with 50+ products (the typical brand in that group flags 18% of its catalog), Sara Lee's 33.9% flagged share is 15.9 points above that cohort median.
Processing mix (NOVA)
Sara Lee processing intensity
Sara Lee's NOVA-classified set is 125 products: 96% ultra-processed (Group 4, 120 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 120. That ultra-processed share sits 17.7 points above the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Sara Lee shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Sara Lee concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (64, 55% of this top-five); Meats and their products (21); Snacks (19); Desserts (10); Dairies (2).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 62 | 96.3/100 | 16.1% |
| Meats and their products | 21 | 91.9/100 | 66.7% |
| Snacks | 18 | 88.9/100 | 50% |
| Desserts | 10 | 89/100 | 80% |
| Dairies | 2 | 100/100 | 0% |
Cohort context
Flagged-ingredient share among large brands
Sara Lee's 33.9% flagged share is measured across 127 scored products. The chart places that rate against the 50 brands with 50+ scored products in this snapshot, the same qualifying cohort used on the rankings page.
Sara Lee flagged share vs large-brand cohort
33.9% of scored products carry at least one flagged ingredient
34% 0th percentile is at or above the flagged share of 0% of the 50 qualifying brands we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more qualifying brands. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Distribution as text
- 0%–10%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 10%–20%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 20%–30%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 30%–40%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 40%–50%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 50%–60%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 60%–70%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 70%–80%
- 3 qualifying brands (6%)
- 80%–90%
- 25 qualifying brands (50%)
- 90% and above
- 22 qualifying brands (44%)
Source Open Food Facts × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Portfolio shape
How scores cluster inside this brand
The brand average (94.2/100) summarizes 127 scored products. This distribution shows whether that mean sits on a tight cluster or a wide spread, a few low-scoring SKUs can matter even when the headline average looks strong.
Sara Lee product score distribution
Brand average 94.2/100 across 127 scored products
94 27th percentile sits above 27% of the 127 scored products we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Distribution as text
- 0–10
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 20–30
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 50–60
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 60–70
- 2 scored products (2%)
- 70–80
- 2 scored products (2%)
- 80–90
- 19 scored products (15%)
- 90–100
- 17 scored products (13%)
- 100 and above
- 84 scored products (66%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Sara Lee relies most on Carrageenan, an industry staple
Across the 127 Sara Lee products scored here, Carrageenan appears in 14. It is used by 2,390 other brands in this database (6.8% of them), so its presence says more about the category than about this brand. A flag records that a named source raised a concern about an ingredient. It is not a finding that a product is unsafe to eat.
| Flagged ingredient | Sara Lee products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Carrageenan | 14 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Caramel Coloring | 13 | Restricted: California (Prop 65 warning for 4-MEI) |
| Sodium Nitrite | 12 | Preservative with a recorded concern |
| Red 40 | 6 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Azodicarbonamide | 5 | Restricted: EU (banned); Australia (banned) |
| Blue 1 | 2 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Sucralose | 2 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| BHA | 1 | Restricted: California (warning required under Prop 65) |
Counts are products in this database whose ingredient list names the flagged ingredient. Flags come from FDA enforcement actions, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings and US state ingredient laws; see the methodology for how each source is applied.
Visible product sample
Label complexity does not determine the screening result
Each point is one of the 50 concern-sorted Sara Lee records shown below. Horizontal position is the number of resolved ingredients on that product's stored label; vertical position is its source-derived screening score. The dashed medians (33 ingredients and 85/100) divide this displayed sample only. A longer label is not automatically worse: open a specific product to inspect its flagged rows and source coverage.
- Shown records
- 50
- Median label
- 33 ingredients
- Median score
- 85/100
The outlined point is Blueberry flavored deluxe bagels, blueberry, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (7). Bubble size represents flagged ingredient count plus one, so zero-flagged products remain visible. The score is derived from FDA SAFFA and CSPI fields; this chart does not establish recall status, dietary suitability, or a health outcome.
Read the plotted values
- Blueberry flavored deluxe bagels, blueberry: 44 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 7 flagged.
- French Style Classic Cheesecake: 56 resolved ingredients, 70/100, 4 flagged.
- Sara lee, peanut butter creme cakes: 55 resolved ingredients, 25/100, 3 flagged.
- French Cheese Cake: 60 resolved ingredients, 65/100, 3 flagged.
- Strawberry cheesecake: 59 resolved ingredients, 65/100, 3 flagged.
- Flaky Individually Wrapped Pastries: 47 resolved ingredients, 50/100, 2 flagged.
- Sara lee, deluxe bagels, red velvet: 32 resolved ingredients, 70/100, 2 flagged.
- Original cream cheesecake: 48 resolved ingredients, 90/100, 2 flagged.
- Sara lee, classic cheesecake, whipped & fluffy: 54 resolved ingredients, 90/100, 2 flagged.
- Sweet Potato Pie With Tender Sweet Potatoes & Spices: 28 resolved ingredients, 90/100, 2 flagged.
- Honey Ham: 10 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sweet Hawaiian Rolls: 36 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sweet Hawaiian Sandwich Buns: 36 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Hand rubbed basil pesto chicken breast: 17 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Honey Ham: 7 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, hickory smoked ham: 10 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, premium black forest ham meats: 7 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, maple honey ham: 11 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, brown sugar ham: 9 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, premium mesquite smoked turkey breast: 10 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Premium Turkey Breast: 13 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Turkey Breast: 18 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, honey maple turkey breast: 15 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, virginia brand, premium meats: 10 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Danish: 59 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, artisan style sandwich rolls, classic: 37 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Classic Country French Artisan Style Sandwich Rolls, Country French: 38 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sourdough French Rolls: 41 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, restaurant style white hamburger buns: 45 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Classic cheesecake: 52 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cherry cream cheesecake: 34 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Pumpkin Pie: 27 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Fresh Baked Toaster Size Bagels, Cinnamon Raisin: 31 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, oven roasted turkey breast: 8 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, naturals premium meats turkey breast, smoked: 8 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, naturals, honey ham: 8 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, black forest ham: 7 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, crumb cakes: 36 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cakes: 31 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Devil's Food Creme Cakes: 44 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Glazed Donut Holes: 49 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Sara lee, crumb cake: 37 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Restaurant style wheat dinner rolls: 34 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Butter Pound Cake: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- All Butter Pound Cake: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Triple chocolate pound cake: 39 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Delux Homestyle Apple Pie: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sara lee, pound cake slices, original: 36 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chef Pierre egg custard pie: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chef Pierre cinnamon pecan coffee cake muffin: 48 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
Products by Sara Lee
Showing 50 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first); 127 tracked records with unusable upstream names remain in the aggregate but are not shown.
Nationwide brands with similar catalog profiles
Two PlainFoodSafe-derived peer sets for Sara Lee: closest on tracked product count (177 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (94.2/100 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-catalog strip.
Similar product count
Nearest other brands by Open Food Facts product count (floored at ≥50).
Similar average screening score
Nearest other brands by average ingredient screening score (floored at ≥50 scored products), distinct from the count row.
Counts and averages from Open Food Facts labels screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine; neither axis is a health outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sara Lee food safe? ▼
Sara Lee has an average safety score of 94/100 across the 127 of 177 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 33.9% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Sara Lee products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 177 Sara Lee products. 127 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 50 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Sara Lee catalog? ▼
Sara Lee has 125 NOVA-classified products; 96% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 120 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Sara Lee catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Sara Lee concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (64, 55% of this top-five); Meats and their products (21); Snacks (19); Desserts (10); Dairies (2).
Does Sara Lee use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Sara Lee items list a synthetic dye on their label. For whether the company has committed to removing dyes, the FDA and CSPI both publish corporate-commitment trackers; we no longer restate those commitments here.
What to do with this Sara Lee profile
Use this roll-up as orientation, then verify the specific package you hold against its ingredient panel and the named official sources.
- Start with Blueberry flavored deluxe bagels, blueberry, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (7) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Carrageenan appears in 14 scored Sara Lee products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Sara Lee's 94.2/100 average and 33.9% flagged share against other brands before treating either figure as a recall or clearance signal. Brand safety rankings
- Cross-check any additive concern against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine rather than relying on this derived index alone. Scoring methodology
A flagged ingredient records a source concern, not a recall, ban, or medical clearance. Always verify the current package label and consult official sources for product-specific decisions.
Citation & disclaimer notes
Brand scores aggregate ingredient-level FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings across Open Food Facts product data. See our methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe.Disclaimer: Informational purposes only; not professional advice. A flagged ingredient is not a recall or a ban. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Brand figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2026.
