Concern

Lemon stick

Scores 60/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 2 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0041144253013

The verdict

Lemon stick scores 60/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 38 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 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.

60/100
Concern safety score
2
flagged ingredients of 38 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
0041144253013
Barcode (UPC/EAN)

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 Lemon stick

Lemon stick carries a composite safety score of 60/100, 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 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, Lemon stick 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 Lemon stick
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 60/100 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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 94,909 products we've scored in the Snacks category, the average safety score is 87.4/100. Lemon stick scores 27.4 points below that category average (60/100 vs. 87.4/100), 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
Flour
2
Wheat Flour
3
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
4
Iron
5
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
8
Water
9
Margarine
10
Palm And Modified Palm Oil
11
Canola Oil
12
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
13
Mono And Diglycerides
14
Soy Lecithin
15
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
16
Artificial Flavor
17
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
18
Vitamin D3
19
Beta-carotene
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
20
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
21
Natural Butter Flavor
22
Corn Oil And Or Soybean Oil
23
Natural And Artificial Flavor
24
. Lemon Filling: Water
25
Glucose-fructose
26
Lemon Puree
27
Corn Starch
28
Lemon Juice
29
Natural Flavor
30
Salt Preservativies
31
Sodium Citrate
32
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
33
Agar
34
Locust Bean Gum
35
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
36
Artificial Color
37
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
38
. Topping: Coarse Sugar

Full Ingredient List

Flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, margarine (palm and modified palm oil, canola oil, water, sugar, mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, citric acid, artificial flavor, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d3, beta-carotene), salt, butter flavor (corn oil and or soybean oil, natural and artificial flavor). lemon filling: water, glucose-fructose, lemon puree, modified corn starch, margarine, lemon juice, citric acid, natural flavor, salt preservativies (sodium citrate, potassium sorbate), agar, locust bean gum, titanium dioxide, artificial color (tartrazine). topping: coarse sugar.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Pastries

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.