Specialty Bakers, Red Velvet Dessert Shells

by Specialty Bakers Llc

25
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Specialty Bakers, Red Velvet Dessert Shells by Specialty Bakers Llc receives a safety score of 25/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 3 ingredients that have been flagged for potential safety concerns by regulatory or consumer advocacy databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.

Barcode
0012900043193
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 SHELL (24 g)

What the Data Says About

Specialty Bakers, Red Velvet Dessert Shells by Specialty Bakers Llc carries a composite safety score of 25/100, which we classify as "Avoid" on our four-tier shelf-label framework. The score is computed by mapping each labeled ingredient against FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status and CSPI Chemical Cuisine classifications, then penalizing the overall product for each additive rated as caution-or-worse. Product data originates from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative catalog; safety annotations come from federal regulators and the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Our scan identified 3 flagged ingredients in this product — components that at least one official source has classified as requiring caution, targeted avoidance, or further evaluation. Flagged ingredients are the items most likely to surface in FDA inspection findings, state-level ingredient bans, or outbreak-related recall notices, so the per-ingredient breakdown below is the most useful lens for anyone screening this product for a specific dietary concern.

On the NOVA processing scale, Specialty Bakers, Red Velvet Dessert Shells is classified as Group 4 (Ultra-processed). NOVA measures industrial processing intensity rather than ingredient-level safety, so it complements the SAFFA and CSPI ratings: a product can be clean on additive flags but heavily processed, or lightly processed but carry individually flagged ingredients. Combining both lenses gives a fuller picture than either alone. The Nutri-Score grade of E reflects nutritional balance — calories, saturated fat, sugar, sodium versus fiber, protein, and produce content — which again is a distinct dimension from additive safety and worth weighing alongside the scores above.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Specialty Bakers, Red Velvet Dessert Shells
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 25/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Water
3
Bleached Enriched Flour
4
Wheat
5
Thiamine
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Reduced Iron
9
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
10
Eggs
11
Yolks
12
Whole
13
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
14
Organic Cocoa
15
Soybean Oil
16
Color {Water
17
Glycerine
18
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
19
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
20
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
21
Modified Food Starch
22
Carrageenan Gum
23
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
24
Preservative
25
Sodium Benzoate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
26
Xanthan Gum}
27
Leavening
28
Baking Soda
29
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
30
Corn Starch
31
Calcium Sulfate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
32
Monocalcium Phosphate
33
Natural And Artificial Flavors
34
Sodium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
35
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
36
Soy Lecithin
37
Vinegar
38
Emulsifiers
39
Mono And Diglycerides
40
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
41
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Other
Safe
42
Enzymes

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, water, bleached enriched flour (wheat, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, reduced iron, folic acid), eggs (yolks, whole), high fructose corn syrup, cocoa (processed with alkali), soybean oil, color {water, high fructose corn syrup, glycerine, sugar, fd&c red 40, red 3, yellow 5, modified food starch, carrageenan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium benzoate (preservative), xanthan gum}, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, corn starch, calcium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate, natural and artificial flavors, sodium propionate (preservative), salt, soy lecithin, vinegar, emulsifiers (mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 60, sodium stearoyl lactylate), corn starch, enzymes.

Categories

Cooking helpers Pastry helpers

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Product data from OpenFoodFacts (ODbL). Ingredient safety ratings from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details.

This information is for reference only and does not constitute dietary or medical advice.

Related

Data sourced from official FDA, USDA, and CDC food-safety databases. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe Editorial