Cupcake Kit

by Monsters University

35
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Cupcake Kit by Monsters University 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
0844527029133
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 CUPCAKE OR 1/8 OF PACKAGE (30 g)

What the Data Says About

Cupcake Kit by Monsters University 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, Cupcake Kit 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 Cupcake Kit
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 Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Vanilla Cupcake Mix: Sugar
2
Enriched Wheat Flour
3
Wheat Flour
4
Malted Barley Flour
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Reduced Iron
7
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
10
Shortening
11
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean And Cottonseed Oil
12
Mono And Diglycerides
13
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
14
Baking Powder
15
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
16
Sodium Bicarbonate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
GRAS
17
Corn Starch
18
Monocalcium Phosphate
19
Skim Milk Solids
20
Food Starch-modified
21
Ascorbiac Acid
22
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
23
Natural And Artificial Flavors. Green Frosting Mix: Sugar
24
Natural And Artificial Flavors
25
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
26
Blue 1. Blue Frosting Mix: Sugar
27
Blue 2
Avoid Approved (certified color)
28
Blue 1. Blue Sparkling Sugar: Sugar
29
Carnauba Wax
30
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)

Full Ingredient List

Vanilla cupcake mix: sugar, enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), shortening (partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil, mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 60), baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), skim milk solids, food starch-modified, mono and diglycerides, ascorbiac acid, citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, natural and artificial flavors. green frosting mix: sugar, natural and artificial flavors, yellow 5, blue 1. blue frosting mix: sugar, natural and artificial flavors, blue 2, blue 1. blue sparkling sugar: sugar, carnauba wax, blue 1.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Cakes Cooking helpers Dessert mixes Pastry helpers Baking Mixes Cake mixes

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