pumpkin spice donuts

by Little Debbie

70
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

pumpkin spice donuts by Little Debbie receives a safety score of 70/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0024300045493
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
4 donuts (53 g)

What the Data Says About

pumpkin spice donuts by Little Debbie carries a composite safety score of 70/100, which we classify as "Caution" 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 2 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, pumpkin spice donuts 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.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for pumpkin spice donuts
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 70/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Enriched Flour
2
Wheat Flour
3
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
4
Reduced Iron
5
Thiamin Mononitrate
6
Vitamin B1
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Vitamin B2
9
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
10
Palm Oil
11
Water
12
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
13
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
14
Or Less Of Each Of The Following: Soybean Oil
15
Egg Yolks
16
Nonfat Dry Milk
17
Corn Starch
18
Leavening
19
Baking Soda
20
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
21
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate
22
Corn Syrup Solids
23
Defatted Soy Flour
24
Cinnamon
25
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
26
Glycerin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
27
Natural And Artificial Flavors
28
Preservatives
29
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
30
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
31
Wheat Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
32
Cellulose Gum
33
Dextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Safe GRAS
34
Guar Gum
35
Karaya Gum
36
Mono-and Diglycerides
37
Soy Lecithin
38
Tapioca Starch
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
39
Wheat Germ
40
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
41
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
42
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
43
Red 40. Allergy Information:
44
Wheat
45
Eggs
46
Milk
47
Soy. Mickee Mckee Foods P.o. Box 750 Collegedale
48
Tn 37315 ©2023
49
A Bioengineered Food Ingredient. Our Family Promise Quality
50
Freshness And Taste. Littledebbie.com 1-800-522-4499 Mckee Foods
51
Collegedale

Full Ingredient List

enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate [vitamin b1], riboflavin [vitamin b2], folic acid), palm oil, water, dextrose, sugar. contains 2% or less of each of the following: soybean oil, dried egg yolks, nonfat dry milk, corn starch, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate), corn syrup solids, defatted soy flour, cinnamon, salt, glycerin, natural and artificial flavors, preservatives (potassium sorbate, sorbic acid), wheat starch, cellulose gum, dextrin, guar gum, karaya gum, mono-and diglycerides, soy lecithin, tapioca starch, wheat germ, citric acid, caramel color, yellow 5, red 40. allergy information: contains wheat, eggs, milk, soy. mickee mckee foods p.o. box 750 collegedale, tn 37315 ©2023 contains a bioengineered food ingredient. our family promise quality, freshness and taste. littledebbie.com 1-800-522-4499 mckee foods, collegedale, tn 37315 send or have available the dated top panel. sealed to preserve quality and freshness

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