Christmas tree pretzels

10
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

Christmas tree pretzels receives a safety score of 10/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 4 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
0846548070804
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
5 PRETZELS (40 g)

What the Data Says About

Christmas tree pretzels carries a composite safety score of 10/100, 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 4 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, Christmas tree pretzels 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 Christmas tree pretzels
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 10/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 4 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
Confection Coating
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Palm Kernel Oil
4
Nonfat Milk Powder
5
Whey Powder
6
Yogurt Powder
7
Cultured Whey And Nonfat Milk
8
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
9
Artificial Color
10
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
11
Soy Lecithin
12
Emulsifier
13
Vanilla
14
Pretzels
15
Enriched Wheat Flour
16
Wheat Flour
17
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
18
Reduced Iron
19
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
20
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
21
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
22
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
23
Vital Wheat Gluten
24
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
25
Vegetable Oil
26
Corn
27
Canola Or Soybean Oil
28
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
29
Yeast
30
Confection Sprinkles
31
Glucose
32
Tapioca Starch
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
33
Palm Kernel Oil
34
Glycerol
35
Magnesium Silicate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FORMULATION AID
GRAS
36
Confectioner's Shellac
37
Gum Arabic
38
Including Red 40
39
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
40
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
41
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
42
Artificial Flavor

Full Ingredient List

Confection coating (sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, nonfat milk powder, whey powder, yogurt powder [cultured whey and nonfat milk], titanium dioxide [artificial color], lactic acid, soy lecithin [emulsifier], vanilla), pretzels (enriched wheat flour [wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid]), corn syrup, vital wheat gluten, salt, vegetable oil [corn, canola or soybean oil], sodium bicarbonate, yeast), confection sprinkles (sugar, glucose, tapioca starch, palm kernel oil, salt, glycerol, magnesium silicate, confectioner's shellac, soy lecithin, gum arabic, artificial color [including red 40, red 3, blue 1, yellow 5], artificial flavor).

Categories

Snacks

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