Pretzel M&Ms

by M&M's

0
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 9 flagged ingredients

Pretzel M&Ms by M&M's receives a safety score of 0/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 9 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
0040000580331
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
12.0 piece (28.0 g)

What the Data Says About

Pretzel M&Ms by M&M's carries a composite safety score of 0/100, 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 9 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, Pretzel M&Ms 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 Pretzel M&Ms
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 0/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 9 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
Milk Chocolate
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Natural Chocolate
4
Skim Milk
5
Cocoa Butter
6
Lactose
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
7
Milkfat
8
Soy Lecithin
9
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
10
Natural Flavor
11
Pretzel
12
Enriched Wheat Flour
13
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
14
Reduced Iron
15
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
16
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
17
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
18
Sago Starch
19
Soybean Oil
20
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
21
Barley Malt Extract
22
Leavening
23
Baking Soda
24
Yeast
25
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
26
Colors
27
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
28
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
29
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
30
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
31
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
32
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
33
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
Blue 2
Avoid Approved (certified color)
35
Blue 2
Avoid Approved (certified color)
36
Carnauba Wax
37
Gum Acacia

Full Ingredient List

Milk chocolate (sugar, chocolate, skim milk, cocoa butter, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, salt, natural flavor), sugar, pretzel (enriched wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), modified sago starch, salt, soybean oil, corn syrup, barley malt extract, leavening (baking soda, yeast), corn syrup, dextrose, colors (blue 1 lake, yellow 6, yellow 6 lake, yellow 5, red 40, red 40 lake, yellow 5 lake, blue 2 lake, blue 2), salt, carnauba wax, gum acacia

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