Cherry & oat squares, cherry & oat

45
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Cherry & oat squares, cherry & oat receives a safety score of 45/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 3 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
0628834170289
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.5 SQUARE (56 g)

What the Data Says About

Cherry & oat squares, cherry & oat carries a composite safety score of 45/100, 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 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, Cherry & oat squares, cherry & oat 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 D 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 Cherry & oat squares, cherry & oat
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 45/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score D OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Organic Rolled Oats
2
Margarine
3
Soybean Oil
4
Palm Oil
5
Water
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Whey Powder
8
Milk
9
Vegetable Monoglycerides
10
Soy Lecithin
11
Natural Flavor
12
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
13
Turmeric
14
Added For Color
15
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
16
Vitamin D3
17
Enriched Wheat Flour
18
Wheat Flour
19
Alpha Amylase
20
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
21
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Reduced Iron
23
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
25
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
26
Granulated Cane Sugar
27
Molasses
28
Baking Soda
29
Eggs. Cherry Filling
30
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
31
Cherries
32
Glucose
33
Corn Starch
34
Palm Kernel Oil
35
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
36
Pectin
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
37
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
38
Sodium Citrate
39
Artificial Flavor
40
Locust Bean Gum
41
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
42
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
43
Colors
44
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
45
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)

Full Ingredient List

Rolled oats, margarine (soybean oil, palm oil, water, salt, whey powder [milk], vegetable monoglycerides, soy lecithin, natural flavor, annatto, turmeric [added for color], vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d3), enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, alpha amylase, ascorbic acid, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), granulated cane sugar, molasses, baking soda, salt, eggs. cherry filling (water, sugar, cherries (may contain pits), glucose, modified corn starch, modified palm kernel oil, citric acid, pectin, salt, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, artificial flavor, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, colors [fd&c blue #1, fd&c red #40]).

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Pastries

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