Avoid

Sponch marshmallow cookies

by Marinela

Scores 25/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 3 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0074323029628 · Serving size 2 PIECES (30 g)

The verdict

Sponch marshmallow cookies by Marinela scores 25/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 46 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 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.

25/100
Avoid safety score
3
flagged ingredients of 46 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
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 Sponch marshmallow cookies

Sponch marshmallow cookies by Marinela carries a composite safety score of 25/100, 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 3 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, Sponch marshmallow cookies 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 E 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 Sponch marshmallow cookies
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 25/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E 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. Sponch marshmallow cookies scores 62.4 points below that category average (25/100 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
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Wheat Flour
3
Strawberry Topping
4
Strawberry Puree
5
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
6
Corn Starch
7
Pectin
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
8
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
9
Artificial Flavor
10
Cellulose Gum
11
Preservatives
12
Sodium Benzoate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
13
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
14
Artificial Color
15
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
16
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
17
Water
18
Glucose
19
Organic Coconut
20
With Sodium Metabisulfite To Protect Color
21
Vegetable Shortening
22
Palm And Canola Oil
23
Soy Lecithin
24
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
25
Gelatin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
26
Egg Whites
27
Iodized Salt
28
Artificial And Natural Flavor
29
Baking Soda
30
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
31
Sodium Aluminium Sulfate
32
Monocalcium Phosphate
33
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
34
Ammonium Bicarbonate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
35
Ferrous Fumarate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
36
Zinc Citrate
37
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
38
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Other
Safe
39
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
40
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
41
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
42
Thiamin Mononitrate Riboflavin
43
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
44
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
45
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
46
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, wheat flour, strawberry topping [sugar, strawberry puree, corn syrup, corn starch, pectin, citric acid, artificial flavor, cellulose gum, preservatives (sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate), artificial color (red 40), hydrogenated coconut oil], water, glucose, coconut (with sodium metabisulfite to protect color), vegetable shortening (palm and canola oil, soy lecithin), high fructose corn syrup, gelatin, egg whites, iodized salt, artificial and natural flavor, baking soda, calcium sulfate, sodium aluminium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ferrous fumarate, zinc citrate, vitamin a palmitate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, maltodextrin, artificial color (red 3, red 40, yellow 5), thiamin mononitrate riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Biscuits

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.