Brown Gravy Mix

by Marcum

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Brown Gravy Mix by Marcum receives a safety score of 80/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0051933051447
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 Tbsp (6 g)

What the Data Says About

Brown Gravy Mix by Marcum 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.

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, Brown Gravy Mix 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 Brown Gravy Mix
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 Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Wheat Flour
2
Food Starch-modified
3
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
4
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
5
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
6
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
7
Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten
8
Sulfites
Preservative
Certain People Should Avoid
9
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
10
Milk
11
Beef Extract
12
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
13
Beef Fat
14
Cottonseed Oil
15
BHA
Avoid GRAS
16
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
17
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
18
Natural Flavor
19
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
20
Beet Powder
21
Color
22
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
23
Calcium Lactate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
24
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
25
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
26
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved

Full Ingredient List

Wheat flour, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed corn gluten, sulfites), whey (milk), beef extract, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, beef fat (beef fat, cottonseed oil, bha, citric acid), dextrose, natural flavor (contains sulfites), caramel color, beet powder (color), lactic acid, calcium lactate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate.

Categories

Condiments Dried products Dried products to be rehydrated Sauces Dehydrated sauces Groceries

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