Concern

Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta

by Hormel

Scores 65/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 3 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0037600051071 · Serving size 1 TRAY (283 g)

The verdict

Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta by Hormel scores 65/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 48 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

65/100
Concern safety score
3
flagged ingredients of 48 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.

What the Data Says About Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta

Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta by Hormel carries a composite safety score of 65/100, 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. This score is a transparent derived index we compute from that public data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement; see the Methodology page for the exact weighting.

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, Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta 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 C 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 Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 65/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score C OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 19,967 products we've scored in the Meals category, the average safety score is 95.1/100. Hormel, compleats, cafe creations spicy italian sausage & pasta scores 30.1 points below that category average (65/100 vs. 95.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Tomatoes
2
Water
3
Tomato Paste
4
Enriched Macaroni Product
5
Semolina
6
Wheat
7
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
9
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
11
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
12
Egg Whites
13
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
14
Glyceryl Monostearate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
15
Cooked Italian Sausage
16
Pork
17
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
18
Spices
19
Corn Syrup Solids
20
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
21
Sodium Phosphates
22
Autolyzed Yeast
23
Flavoring
24
BHA
Avoid GRAS
25
BHT
Caution GRAS
26
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
27
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
28
Dried Red Bell Peppers
29
Or Less Of Modified Cornstarch
30
Carrots
31
Celery
32
Organic Onions
33
Olive Oil
34
Green Bell Peppers
35
Wine
36
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
37
Preservative
38
Parmesan Cheese
39
Part Skim Cow's Milk
40
Cheese Culture
41
Enzymes
42
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
43
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
44
Yeast Extract
45
Romano Cheese
46
Pasteurized Cows' Milk
47
Cheese Cultures
48
Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate

Full Ingredient List

Tomatoes (tomatoes, water, tomato paste), enriched macaroni product (semolina [wheat, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], egg whites, water, wheat gluten, glyceryl monostearate), cooked italian sausage (pork, water, salt, spices, corn syrup solids, caramel color, sodium phosphates, autolyzed yeast, flavoring, bha, bht, citric acid), sugar, red bell peppers, contains 2% or less of modified cornstarch, carrots, celery, onions, olive oil, green bell peppers, wine (contains salt, potassium sorbate [preservative]), parmesan cheese (part skim cow's milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), garlic (contains high fructose corn syrup), yeast extract, spices, salt, romano cheese (pasteurized cows' milk, cheese cultures, enzymes, salt), disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, citric acid.

Categories

Meals

Data Sources

Data as of May 2026. 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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Product figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, and CSPI Chemical Cuisine data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.