Italian-style half sub

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Italian-style half sub receives a safety score of 55/100 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
0030223012078
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 SANDWICH (255 g)

What the Data Says About

Italian-style half sub carries a composite safety score of 55/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Italian-style half sub 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 D 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 Italian-style half sub
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 55/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score D OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Bread
2
Enriched Wheat Flour
3
Wheat Flour
4
Malted Barley Flour
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Reduced Iron
7
Thiamin Mononitrate
8
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
10
Water
11
Or Less Of Each Of Yeast
12
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
13
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
14
Malted Barley Extract
15
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
16
Vegetable Oil
17
Canola Oil Or Soybean Oil
18
Fumaric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe Approved
19
Preservatives
20
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
21
Phosphoric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
Cut Back GRAS
22
Sodium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
23
Wheat Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
24
Dough Conditioners
25
Mono And Diglycerides
26
Ethoxylated Mono And Diglycerides
27
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
28
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
29
Enzymes
30
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
31
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
32
Vegetable Oil
33
Soybean
34
Palm
35
Cottonseed
36
Ham
37
Up To 10% Of A Solution Of Water
38
Turbinado Sugar
39
Natural Flavor
40
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
41
Not From Milk
42
Salami
43
Pork
44
Beef
45
Or Less Of Dextrose
46
Spices
47
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
48
Garlic Powder
49
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
50
BHA
Avoid GRAS
51
BHT
Caution GRAS
52
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
53
Pepperoni
54
Contain 2% Or Less Of Water
55
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
56
Oleoresin Of Paprika
57
Provolone Cheese
58
Pasteurized Milk
59
Cheese Culture
60
Microbial Enzymes
61
Lettuce
62
Onion

Full Ingredient List

Bread (enriched wheat flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], water, contains 2% or less of each of yeast, sugar, salt, malted barley extract, wheat gluten, vegetable oil [canola oil or soybean oil], fumaric acid, preservatives [calcium propionate, phosphoric acid, sodium propionate], wheat starch, dough conditioners [mono and diglycerides, ethoxylated mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 60, ascorbic acid, enzymes], lactic acid, sodium diacetate, hydrogenated vegetable oil [soybean, palm and/or cottonseed]), ham (contains up to 10% of a solution of water, salt, turbinado sugar, natural flavor, lactic acid starter culture [not from milk]), salami (pork, beef, salt, contains 2% or less of dextrose, water, spices, lactic acid starter culture, sodium ascorbate, garlic powder, sodium nitrite, bha, bht, citric acid), pepperoni (pork, beef, salt, contain 2% or less of water, dextrose, spices, lactic acid starter culture, oleoresin of paprika, garlic powder, sodium nitrite, bha, bht, citric acid), provolone cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, microbial enzymes), lettuce, onion

Categories

Sandwiches

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