Russell chocolates

by Russell Stover

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Russell chocolates by Russell Stover receives a safety score of 95/100 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
0077260113078
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
3 pieces (43 g)

What the Data Says About

Russell chocolates by Russell Stover carries a composite safety score of 95/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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, Russell chocolates 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 Russell chocolates
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 95/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 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
Milk Chocolate
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Whole Milk
4
Cocoa Butter
5
Natural Chocolate
6
Soy Lecithin
7
Emulsifier
8
Vanillin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
9
Artificial Flavor
10
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
11
Dark Chocolate
12
Chocolate Processed With Alkall
13
Cocoa Butter Milk Fat
14
Coconut With Sodium Metabisulfite
15
Preserves Whiteness
16
Condensed Milk
17
Invert Sugar
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back GRAS
18
Cream
19
Brown Sugar
20
Palm Kernel Oil
21
Sorbitol
Sweetener
Cut Back
22
Salt Egg Whites
23
Whey Protein Isolate
24
Milk
25
Natural Flavors
26
Invertase
27
Enzyme
28
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
29
Honey
30
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
31
Preservative
32
Butter And Evaporated Milk
33
Dipotassium Phosphate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
34
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
35
Vitamin Ds
36
Tree Nuts And Wheat. Russell Stover Chocolates
37
Llc

Full Ingredient List

milk chocolate (sugar, whole milk, cocoa butter, chocolate, soy lecithin (emulsifier, vanillin (artificial flavor)), sugar, corn syrup, dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate processed with alkall, cocoa butter milk fat, soy lecithin (emulsifier), vanillin (artificial flavor)), coconut with sodium metabisulfite (preserves whiteness), condensed milk, invert sugar, cream, brown sugar, palm kernel oil, sorbitol, salt dried egg whites, whey protein isolate (milk), natural flavors, invertase (enzyme), soy lecithin (emulsifier), citric acid, honey, potassium sorbate (preservative), butter and evaporated milk (milk, dipotassium phosphate, carrageenan, vitamin ds) may contain peanuts, tree nuts and wheat. russell stover chocolates, llc

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