M&M cookies

by Freshness Guaranteed

10
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

M&M cookies by Freshness Guaranteed receives a safety score of 10/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 4 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
0078742367989
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 Cookies (40 g)

What the Data Says About

M&M cookies by Freshness Guaranteed carries a composite safety score of 10/100, 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 4 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, M&M 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.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for M&M cookies
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 10/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 4 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
Wheat Flour
2
Margarine
3
Canola Oil
4
Cottonseed Oil
5
Soybean Oil
6
Palm Oil
7
Water
8
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
9
Mono - And Diglycerides
10
Tocopherols
ANTIOXIDANT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
11
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
12
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
13
Soy Lecithin
14
Annatto Extract
15
Turmeric Oleoresin
16
Brown Sugar
17
Beet Sugar
18
Dried Cane Syrup
19
M's Milk Chocolate Candies
20
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
21
Natural Chocolate
22
Skim Milk
23
Cocoa Butter
24
Lactose
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
25
Milkfat
26
Artificial Flavor
27
Natural Flavors
28
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
29
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
30
Less Than 1% Cocoa Mass
31
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
32
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
33
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
Blue 2
Avoid Approved (certified color)
35
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
36
Carnauba Wax
37
Gum Acacia
38
Eggs
39
Fructose
Sweetener
Cut Back
40
Organic Invert Syrup
41
Baking Soda
42
Vanilla Flavor

Full Ingredient List

wheat flour, margarine, canola oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, water, salt, mono - and diglycerides, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, citric acid, soy lecithin, annatto extract, turmeric oleoresin, brown sugar, beet sugar, cane syrup, M, M's milk chocolate candies, sugar, chocolate, skim milk, cocoa butter, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, salt, artificial flavor, natural flavors, corn syrup, cornstarch, less than 1% cocoa mass, dextrin, red 40 lake, yellow 5 lake, blue 2 lake, blue 1 lake, carnauba wax, gum acacia, sugar, eggs, fructose, invert syrup, baking soda, natural vanilla flavor, water

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