100% whole wheat hamburger buns

by Arnold

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

100% whole wheat hamburger buns by Arnold receives a safety score of 85/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient 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
0073410161456
Nutri-Score
a
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 BUN (57 g)

What the Data Says About

100% whole wheat hamburger buns by Arnold carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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 1 flagged ingredient 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, 100% whole wheat hamburger buns 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 A 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 100% whole wheat hamburger buns
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score A OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Whole Wheat Flour
2
Water
3
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
4
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
5
Yeast
6
Soybean Oil
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
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
9
Brown Sugar
10
Grain Vinegar
11
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
12
Preservative
13
Monocalcium Phosphate
14
Ethoxylated Mono - And Diglycerides
15
Datem
Emulsifier
Safe
16
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Other
Safe
17
Cellulose Gum
18
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
19
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
20
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
21
Mono - And Diglycerides
22
Azodicarbonamide
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT
Avoid Approved
23
Potassium Iodate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT
Avoid GRAS
24
Vitamin D3
25
Soy Lecithin
26
Sesame Seeds

Full Ingredient List

Whole wheat flour, water, wheat gluten, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, soybean oil, salt, calcium sulfate, brown sugar, grain vinegar, calcium propionate (preservative), monocalcium phosphate, ethoxylated mono - and diglycerides, datem and/or sodium stearoyl lactylate, cellulose gum, calcium carbonate, cornstarch, citric acid, mono - and diglycerides, azodicarbonamide and/or potassium iodate, vitamin d3, soy lecithin, sesame seeds.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Cereals and potatoes Breads Special breads Hamburger buns

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