Marshmallow bars

35
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Marshmallow bars receives a safety score of 35/100 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
0690763022410
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 BAR (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Marshmallow bars carries a composite safety score of 35/100, 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, Marshmallow bars 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 E 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 Marshmallow bars
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 35/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Marshmallow
2
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
3
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
Invert Sugar
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back GRAS
5
Fructose
Sweetener
Cut Back
6
Water
7
Gelatin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
8
Artificial Vanilla Flavor
9
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
10
Crisp Rice
11
Rice
12
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
13
Malt
ENZYME
Approved
14
Corn Flour
15
Organic Malted Barley
16
Reduced Iron
17
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
18
Thiamine Hydrochloride
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
19
Vitamin B1
20
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
21
Vitamin B6
22
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Folic Acid And Bht
24
Preservative
25
Natural Chocolate
26
Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil
27
Cocoa Powder
28
Whey Powder
29
Nonfat Milk Powder
30
Soy Lecithin Added As An Emulsifier And Natural Vanilla Flavor
31
Margarine
32
Palm Oil
33
Vegetable Monoglycerides
34
Whey Solids
35
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
36
Natural And Artificial Flavor
37
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
38
Beta Carotene
39
Color
40
Vitamin A Palmitate Added
41
Peppermint
42
Peppermint Oil
43
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
44
Fd&c Red #4
45
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
46
TBHQ
Preservative
Avoid Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)

Full Ingredient List

Marshmallow (corn syrup, sugar, invert sugar, fructose, water, gelatin, artificial vanilla flavor, glycerin), crisp rice (rice, sugar, salt, malt (corn flour, malted barley) reduced iron, niacinamide, thiamine hydrochloride [vitamin b1], pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin b6], calcium pantothenate, folic acid and bht [preservative]), chocolate (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, whey powder, nonfat milk powder, soy lecithin added as an emulsifier and natural vanilla flavor), margarine (palm oil, water, salt, vegetable monoglycerides, whey solids, sodium benzoate [preservative], natural and artificial flavor, citric acid, beta carotene [color], vitamin a palmitate added), peppermint (sugar, corn syrup, natural peppermint oil, fd&c red #40, fd&c red #4, fd&c blue #1), tbhq (preservative).

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Confectioneries

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