Country ham sandwich

65
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Country ham sandwich receives a safety score of 65/100 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
0657815040273
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 PACKAGE (151 g)

What the Data Says About

Country ham sandwich carries a composite safety score of 65/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Country ham sandwich 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 C 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 Country ham sandwich
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 65/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score C OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Ham: Water Added Cured With Water
2
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
3
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
4
Brown Sugar
5
Or Less Of Sodium Phosphate
6
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
7
Flavorings
8
Sodium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
9
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
10
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
11
Fridgesoft Wheat: Enriched Wheat Flour
12
Wheat Flour
13
Malted Barley Flour
14
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
15
Iron
16
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
17
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
18
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
19
Water
20
Cracked Wheat
21
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
22
Palm Oil
23
Yeast
24
Dough Conditioner
25
Enzymes
26
Soybean Oil
27
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
28
Dough Strengthener
29
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Other
Safe
30
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
31
Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters Of Mono-diglycerides
32
Datem
Emulsifier
Safe
33
Or Less Of: Soybean Oil
34
L. Cysteine
35
Enzyme
36
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
37
Azodicarbonamide
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT
Avoid Approved
38
Ada
39
Imitation American Cheese: Water
40
Partially Hydrogenated Soy Bean Oil
41
Casein And Or Caseinate
42
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
43
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
44
Sodium Citrate
45
Sodium Phosphate
46
Sorbic Acid As A Preservative
47
Natural & Artificial Flavoring
48
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
49
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
50
Annatto & Oleoresin Paprika Color

Full Ingredient List

Ham: water added cured with water, salt, dextrose, brown sugar, contains 2% or less of sodium phosphate, sodium erythorbate, flavorings, sodium propionate, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrite; fridgesoft wheat: enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, cracked wheat, sugar, palm oil, yeast, salt, dough conditioner (wheat flour, enzymes, soybean oil), calcium propionate, dough strengthener (sodium stearoyl lactylate), caramel color, dough conditioner (wheat flour, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono-diglycerides [datem], contains 2% or less of: soybean oil, l. cysteine, enzyme, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide [ada]); imitation american cheese: water, partially hydrogenated soy bean oil, casein and or caseinate, whey, cornstarch, sodium citrate, salt, sodium phosphate, sorbic acid as a preservative, natural & artificial flavoring, lactic acid, citric acid, annatto & oleoresin paprika color.

Categories

Sandwiches

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