Special Occasion Cupcakes

by Arnie's

15
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 5 flagged ingredients

Special Occasion Cupcakes by Arnie's 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
0076185005505
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
78 g (78 g)

What the Data Says About

Special Occasion Cupcakes by Arnie's 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, Special Occasion Cupcakes 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 Special Occasion Cupcakes
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
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Sucrose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
GRAS
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
Enriched Wheat Flour Bleached
5
Flour
6
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Reduced Iron
8
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
11
Soybean Oil
12
Margarine And Shortening
13
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
14
Nonfat Dry Milk And Water
15
Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil
16
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
17
Mono- And Diglycerides
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
18
Soybean Lecithin
19
Artificially Flavored
20
Colored With Beta Carotene
21
Vitamin A Palmitate Added
22
Leavening
23
Baking Soda
24
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
25
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate
26
Monocalcium Phosphate
27
Aluminum Sulfate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FIRMING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
28
Foodstarch-modified Dextrose
29
Propylene Glycol
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
30
Mono & Diesters Of Fatty Acids
31
Mono & Diglycerides With Bht & Citric Acid As Preservatives
32
Nonfat Milk Solids
33
Sorbitan Monostearate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe Approved
34
Soy Lecithin
35
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
36
Cellulose Gum
37
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
38
Wheat Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
39
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
40
Silicon Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT
Safe GRAS
41
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
42
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
43
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
44
Natural And Artificial Flavor
45
Water
46
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
47
Polysorbate 80
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
48
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
49
Sulfites
Preservative
Certain People Should Avoid
50
Egg Whites
51
Whole Eggs
52
Corn Starch
53
Dextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Safe GRAS
54
Confectioner's Glaze
55
Carnauba Wax
56
Cocoa Powder
57
Soy Flour
58
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
59
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
60
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
61
Guar Gum
62
Triethyl Citrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Prior Sanctioned
63
Propylene Glycol Monoesters
64
Monodiglycerides
65
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Other
Safe
66
Calcium Silicate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT
GRAS
67
Oranges
68
Lemons
69
Vanilla

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, sucrose, maltodextrin, enriched wheat flour bleached (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), soybean oil, margarine and shortening (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, soybean oil, nonfat dry milk and water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, salt, mono- and diglycerides, soybean lecithin, artificially flavored, colored with beta carotene, vitamin a palmitate added), leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, aluminum sulfate), foodstarch-modified dextrose, propylene glycol, mono & diesters of fatty acids, mono & diglycerides with bht & citric acid as preservatives, salt, nonfat milk solids, sorbitan monostearate, soy lecithin, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, polysorbate 60, wheat starch, propylene glycol, citric acid, silicon dioxide, cocoa processed with alkali, dextrose, caramel color, salt, natural and artificial flavor, water, corn syrup, polysorbate 80, glycerin, wheat starch, sulfites, egg whites, whole eggs, corn starch, dextrin, confectioner's glaze, carnauba wax, cocoa powder, soy flour, yellow 6 lake, yellow 5 lake, blue 1 lake, guar gum, triethyl citrate, propylene glycol monoesters, monodiglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium silicate, oranges, lemons, glycerin, vanilla

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