Whole Italian Sub

by Rachael's

60
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Whole Italian Sub by Rachael's receives a safety score of 60/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0811907017332
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
5.33 ONZ (151.33 g)

What the Data Says About

Whole Italian Sub by Rachael's carries a composite safety score of 60/100, 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 2 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, Whole Italian Sub 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 Whole Italian Sub
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 60/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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
Sub Roll: Enriched Wheat Flour
2
Wheat Flour
3
Malted Barley Flour
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Iron
6
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
9
Water
10
Yeast
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Cornmeal
13
Processing Aid
14
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
15
Soybean Oil
16
Emulsifier
17
Mono And Diglycerides
18
Propionic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
GRAS
19
Phosphoric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
Cut Back GRAS
20
Dough Improver
21
Enriched Wheat Flour
22
Reduced Iron
23
Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters Of Mono And Diglycerides
24
Datem
Emulsifier
Safe
25
Calcium Sulfate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
26
Potassium Bromate & 2% Or Less Of Each Of The Following: Ascorbic Acid
27
Vitamin C
28
L-cysteine Hydrochloride
29
Enzymes
30
Wheat
31
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
32
A Natural Mold Inhibitor
33
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
34
Mineral Oil
35
Potassium Bromate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT
Avoid Approved
36
L. Cysteine Cooked Ham: Ham
37
Or Less Of Salt
38
Sodium Lactate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, WASHING OR SURFACE REMOVAL AGENT
GRAS
39
Sodium Phosphates
40
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
41
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
42
Sodium Nitrite. Hot Ham Water Added Capicola: Coated With Species And Paprika
43
Ham
44
Or Less Of Dextrose
45
Spices
46
Flavorings
47
Sodium Nitrite. Genoa Salami: Pork
48
Beef
49
Or Less Of Corn Syrup Solids
50
Sugars
51
Wine
52
Sodium Nitrate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
53
Spice
54
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
55
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
56
Sodium Nitrite. Grande Pepperoni: Pork
57
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
58
Paprika
59
Extract Of Paprika
60
Flavoring
61
Flavoring
62
Sodium Nitrite. Ham: Water Added
63
Off The Bone: Cured With: Water
64
Brown Sugar
65
Honey
66
Sodium Nitrite Provolone Cheese: Pasteurized Milk
67
Cheese Cultures
68
Natural Smoke Flavor
69
Green Peppers
70
Onion
71
Pickle
72
Tomato Mix: Fresh Chopped Green Peppers
73
Onions & Pickles Leaf Lettuce: Fresh Leaf Lettuce

Full Ingredient List

Sub roll: enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, yeast, salt, cornmeal (processing aid), sugar, soybean oil, emulsifier (water, mono and diglycerides, propionic acid, phosphoric acid), dough improver [(enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono and diglycerides (datem), salt, calcium sulfate, soybean oil, potassium bromate & 2% or less of each of the following: ascorbic acid (vitamin c), l-cysteine hydrochloride, enzymes (contains wheat)], calcium propionate (a mold inhibitor), dextrose, enzymes, mineral oil (processing aid), calcium sulfate, potassium bromate, l. cysteine cooked ham: ham, water, dextrose, contains 2% or less of salt, sodium lactate, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite. hot ham water added capicola: coated with species and paprika, ham, water, salt, contains 2% or less of dextrose, sodium lactate, spices, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, flavorings, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite. genoa salami: pork, beef, salt, contains 2% or less of corn syrup solids, dextrose, sugars, wine, sodium erythorbate, flavorings, sodium nitrate, spice, garlic, lactic acid starter culture, sodium nitrite. grande pepperoni: pork, beef, salt, contains 2% or less of dextrose, spices, water, corn syrup, paprika, extract of paprika, sodium erythorbate, flavoring, natural flavoring, lactic acid starter culture, sodium nitrite. ham: water added; off the bone: cured with: water, salt, sodium phosphates, brown sugar, sugar, honey, sodium erythorbate, dextrose, sodium nitrite provolone cheese: pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, natural smoke flavor, green peppers, onion, pickle, tomato mix: fresh chopped green peppers, onions & pickles leaf lettuce: fresh leaf lettuce.

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