Caution

Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread

Scores 80/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 2 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0045009854315 · Serving size 1 SANDWICH (198 g)

The verdict

Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 54 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.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
flagged ingredients of 54 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
D
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 Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread

Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread carries a composite safety score of 80/100, 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. 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, Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread 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 Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 80/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 6,305 products we've scored in the Sandwiches category, the average safety score is 97.6/100. Ham & swiss on sweet dark bread scores 17.6 points below that category average (80/100 vs. 97.6/100), 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
Ham
2
Cured With Water
3
Honey
4
Cultured Sugar And Vinegar
5
Flavorings
6
Brown Sugar
7
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Sodium Phosphate
9
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
10
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
11
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
12
Bread
13
Whole Grain Granola And Flour Mix
14
Whole Wheat Flour
15
Steel Cut Wheat
16
Steel Cut Oats
17
Oat Flakes
18
Barley Flakes
19
Triticale Flakes
20
Soft White Wheat Flakes
21
Rye Flakes
22
Amaranth
23
Organic Flax Seeds
24
Wheat Germ
25
Organic Whole Grain Cornmeal
26
Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour
27
Wheat Flour
28
Malted Barley Flour
29
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Reduced Iron
31
Thiamin Mononitrate
32
Riboflavin And Folic Acid
33
Water
34
Yeast
35
Vital Wheat Gluten
36
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
37
Or Less Of Each Of The Following: Sunflower Seeds
38
Organic Golden Flax
39
Vegetable Oil
40
Canola
41
Soy
42
Distilled Vinegar
43
Cultured Wheat Flour
44
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
45
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
46
Dough Conditioner
47
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
48
Calcium Sulfate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
49
Enzymes
50
Nonfat Dry Milk
51
Soy Flour
52
Swiss Cheese
53
Cultured Part - Skim Milk
54
Lettuce

Full Ingredient List

Ham (cured with water, honey, cultured sugar and vinegar, natural flavorings, brown sugar, sea salt, sodium phosphate, salt, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite), bread (whole grain granola and flour mix [whole wheat flour, steel cut wheat, steel cut oats, oat flakes, barley flakes, triticale flakes, soft white wheat flakes, rye flakes, amaranth, flax seeds, wheat germ, whole grain cornmeal], enriched unbleached wheat flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin and folic acid], water, yeast, vital wheat gluten, brown sugar, sugar, contains 2% or less of each of the following: sunflower seeds, golden flax, vegetable oil [canola and/or soy], salt, distilled vinegar, cultured wheat flour, caramel color, xanthan gum, dough conditioner [ascorbic acid], calcium sulfate, enzymes, nonfat dry milk, soy flour), swiss cheese (cultured part - skim milk, salt, enzymes), lettuce.

Categories

Sandwiches

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.