Ice cream
Contains 3 flagged ingredients
Ice cream receives a safety score of 45/100 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.
What the Data Says About
Ice cream carries a composite safety score of 45/100, 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, Ice cream 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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 45/100 | 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
Full Ingredient List
Lemon flavored ice cream: milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, nonfat milk, whey, fructose, water, lemon juice concentrate, lemon extract, sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, dipotassium phosphate, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, xanthan gum, polysorbate 80, carrageenan. vanilla topping: water, sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, corn syrup, contains less than 2% of the following: sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (to preserve freshness), carbohydrate gum, polysorbate 60, artificial flavor, salt, soy protein isolate, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono and diglycerides, sodium citrate, disodium phosphate, soy lecithin, xanthan gum. blueberry variegate: high fructose corn syrup, water, corn syrup, blueberry puree, sugar, modified food starch (corn), citric acid, salt, natural flavor, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, red 40, blue 1, sodium benzoate. lemon chips: sugar, vegetable fat (palm kernel and/or palm), nonfat dry milk, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), natural flavors, soybean oil, color added.
Categories
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.
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