Avoid

Spearmint Sugarfree Gum

by Mentos

Scores 5/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 5 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0073390026622 · Serving size 1 PIECE (2 g)

The verdict

Spearmint Sugarfree Gum by Mentos scores 5/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 26 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 5 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.

5/100
Avoid safety score
5
flagged ingredients of 26 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
0073390026622
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 Spearmint Sugarfree Gum

Spearmint Sugarfree Gum by Mentos carries a composite safety score of 5/100, 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. 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 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, Spearmint Sugarfree Gum 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 Spearmint Sugarfree Gum
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 5/100 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.

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. Spearmint Sugarfree Gum scores 82.4 points below that category average (5/100 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
Xylitol
HUMECTANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back Approved
2
Chewing Gum Base
3
Sorbitol
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
Mannitol
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Cut Back GRAS
5
Glycerol
6
Maltitol Syrup
7
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
8
Natural And Artificial Flavors
9
Aspartame
FLAVOR ENHANCER, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
10
Rice Starch
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Listed
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
Medium Chain Triglycerides
13
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
14
Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose
15
Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
16
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
17
Soy
18
Green Tea Extract 0.1%
19
Gum Arabic
20
Carnauba Wax
21
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
22
BHT
Caution GRAS
23
Color
24
Turmeric Oleoresin
25
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
26
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)

Full Ingredient List

Xylitol, chewing gum base, sorbitol, mannitol, glycerol, maltitol syrup, maltodextrin, natural and artificial flavors, aspartame, rice starch, coconut oil (medium chain triglycerides), acesulfame k, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin (soy), green tea extract 0.1%, gum arabic, carnauba wax, xanthan gum, bht, color (turmeric oleoresin), blue 1 lake, blue 1.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Confectioneries Chewing gum Sugar-free chewing gum

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.