Airheads Gum, Watermelon

by Airheads

15
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 5 flagged ingredients

Airheads Gum, Watermelon by Airheads receives a safety score of 15/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 5 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
0073390013325
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 PIECE (2.5g)

What the Data Says About

Airheads Gum, Watermelon by Airheads carries a composite safety score of 15/100, 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 5 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, Airheads Gum, Watermelon 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 Airheads Gum, Watermelon
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 15/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 5 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
Sorbitol
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Xylitol
HUMECTANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back Approved
3
Chewing Gum Base
4
Glycerin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
5
Maltitol Syrup
6
Artificial Flavors
7
Maltitol
Sweetener
Cut Back
8
Malic Acid
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SYNERGIST
Safe GRAS
9
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
10
Aspartame
FLAVOR ENHANCER, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
11
Coconut Oil
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Listed
12
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
13
Tartaric acid
Preservative
Safe
14
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
15
Lecithin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
16
Soy
17
Acesulfame K Bht To Maintain Freshness
18
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
19
Colored With:
20
Carmine
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
21
Beta-carotene
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
22
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)

Full Ingredient List

SORBITOL, XYLITOL, CHEWING GUM BASE, GLYCERIN, MALTITOL SYRUP, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, MALTITOL, MALIC ACID, CARRAGEENAN, ASPARTAME, COCONUT OIL, CITRIC ACID, TARTARIC ACID, SUCRALOSE, LECITHIN (SOY), ACESULFAME K BHT TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS, BLUE 1 LAKE, COLORED WITH: (CARMINE, BETA-CAROTENE), BLUE 1

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Confectioneries Chewing gum Sugar-free chewing gum Gum

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