Caution

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0021131504663 · Frozen foods. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0021131504663 · Serving size 1 MEAL (425 g)

The verdict

Spaghetti with meat sauce scores 85/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 79 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 79-component record, beginning with Meat Sauce, Tomatoes In Juice, Water. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

85/100
Caution safety score
1
One flagged · of 79 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
C
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

60/100

Grade C+

Ingredient Safety

85/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

C

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

31504663 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Spaghetti with meat sauce label screening desk

SCORE-CAUT 85/100 FLAG-ONE 1 flagged LEN-DENSE 79 ing. REG-SPARSE 28% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-C Nutri-C RANK-SHORT Len top 2% LEAD-FLAG TBHQ PHOTO-SOLO No peers BOOK-OFF …504663 · July 2026

22 of 79 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: TBHQ). Source sheet 31504663 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the second band of the four-tier framework. That band collects labels whose registry-rated components pull the derived score down measurably without dominating it. Position inside a band is not visible from the band name, and two labels sharing it can differ in how many components were rated and how severely. This is a threshold on an index computed here from public data, not a regulatory classification of any kind; the exact cut-offs are published on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score settled on its middle grade here, the band the algorithm produces when the penalty and credit sides of its nutrient ledger come out close to balanced. A mid-scale grade is a statement about the panel as a whole rather than about any single nutrient, and products arrive at it by very different routes: a moderate profile across every term, or high marks on some offset by heavy penalties on others. The grade is computed separately from the ingredient screen below and the two are not comparable measures.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 24,982 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 92.9/100. Spaghetti with meat sauce scores 7.9 points below that category average (85/100 vs. 92.9/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Frozen foods products

Spaghetti with meat sauce lists 79 ingredients on its label

79 98th percentile a longer ingredient list than 98% of the 7,008 products we track

0–2: 11 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 6–8: 66 products (1%). Below this entry. 8–10: 102 products (1%). Below this entry. 10–12: 112 products (2%). Below this entry. 12–14: 184 products (3%). Below this entry. 14–16: 205 products (3%). Below this entry. 16–18: 245 products (3%). Below this entry. 18–20: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 20–22: 264 products (4%). Below this entry. 22–24: 298 products (4%). Below this entry. 24–26: 247 products (4%). Below this entry. 26–28: 271 products (4%). Below this entry. 28–30: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 30–32: 294 products (4%). Below this entry. 32–34: 325 products (5%). Below this entry. 34–36: 319 products (5%). Below this entry. 36–38: 314 products (4%). Below this entry. 38–40: 283 products (4%). Below this entry. 40–42: 2,792 products (40%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Frozen foods product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more 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

7,008 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 79 (98th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
11 products (0%)
2–4
54 products (1%)
4–6
54 products (1%)
6–8
66 products (1%)
8–10
102 products (1%)
10–12
112 products (2%)
12–14
184 products (3%)
14–16
205 products (3%)
16–18
245 products (3%)
18–20
284 products (4%)
20–22
264 products (4%)
22–24
298 products (4%)
24–26
247 products (4%)
26–28
271 products (4%)
28–30
284 products (4%)
30–32
294 products (4%)
32–34
325 products (5%)
34–36
319 products (5%)
36–38
314 products (4%)
38–40
283 products (4%)
40 and above
2,792 products (40%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 7,008 Frozen foods products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 85/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (1 flagged of 79 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Meat Sauce
2
Tomatoes In Juice
3
Water
4
Tomatoes
5
Tomato Paste
6
Cooked Beef And Pork
7
Organic Onions
8
Corn Starch
9
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
10
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Flavoring
13
Natural Beef Flavor
14
Cooked Beef
15
Yeast Extract
16
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
17
Caramelized Sugar Syrup
18
Beef Tallow
19
Beef Extract
20
Vegetable Juice Concentrates
21
Carrot
22
Celery
23
Corn Starch
24
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
25
Natural Flavors
26
Olive Oil
27
Wine
28
Seasoning
29
Flavorings
30
Spice
31
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
32
Canola Oil
33
Butter
34
Cream
35
Cooked Enriched Pasta
36
Durum Flour
37
Durum Wheat Semolina
38
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
39
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
40
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
41
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
42
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
43
Soybean Oil
44
Egg Whites
45
Garlic Bread
46
Bleached Enriched Flour
47
Malted Barley Flour
48
Reduced Iron
49
Folate
50
Vegetable Oil
51
Soybean
52
Cottonseed Oil
53
Yeast
54
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
55
Enriched Wheat Flour
56
Flour
57
Datem
Emulsifier
Safe
58
Vegetable Shortening
59
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
60
TBHQ
Preservative
Avoid Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)
61
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
62
L-cysteine Hydrochloride
63
Azodicar-bonamide
64
Enzymes
65
Calcium Peroxide
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
66
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
67
Enzyme
68
Garlic Flavored Toppings
69
Liquid And Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
70
Lecithin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
71
Monoglycerides
72
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
73
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
74
Natural Flavor
75
Artificial Flavor
76
Beta-carotene
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
77
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
78
Calcium Disodium Edta
79
Parsley Flakes

Full Ingredient List

Meat sauce (tomatoes in juice [water, tomatoes, tomato paste], cooked beef and pork, onions, water, modified corn starch, sugar, garlic, tomato paste, salt, flavoring, beef flavor [cooked beef, yeast extract, maltodextrin, caramelized sugar syrup, beef tallow, beef extract, vegetable juice concentrates {onion, carrot, celery}, salt, sugar, corn starch, lactic acid, flavors], olive oil, wine, seasoning [flavorings, salt, spice, dextrose], canola oil, butter [cream, salt]), cooked enriched pasta (water, durum flour [durum wheat semolina, niacin, ferrous sulfate {iron}, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], soybean oil, dried egg whites), garlic bread (bleached enriched flour [malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folate], water, vegetable oil [soybean and/or cottonseed oil], yeast, salt, high fructose corn syrup, enriched wheat flour [flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], datem, vegetable shortening [partially hydrogenated soybean oil, tbhq], contains 2% or less of: ascorbic acid, l-cysteine hydrochloride, azodicar-bonamide, enzymes, calcium peroxide, calcium propionate, enzyme, garlic flavored toppings [liquid and partially hydrogenated soybean oil, water, salt, lecithin, monoglycerides, sodium benzoate, citric acid, natural flavor, artificial flavor, beta-carotene, vitamin a palmitate, calcium disodium edta, parsley flakes]).

Categories

Frozen foods

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

TBHQ is the first flagged ingredient selected from Spaghetti with meat sauce's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 79-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to TBHQ. Open TBHQ
  • Compare Spaghetti with meat sauce's 1 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0021131504663: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.