A couple of squares, sugar cookie

by A Couple Of Squares

0
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 6 flagged ingredients

A couple of squares, sugar cookie by A Couple Of Squares receives a safety score of 0/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 6 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
0874465005326
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 COOKIE (36 g)

What the Data Says About

A couple of squares, sugar cookie by A Couple Of Squares carries a composite safety score of 0/100, 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 6 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, A couple of squares, sugar cookie 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 A couple of squares, sugar cookie
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 0/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 6 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
Cookie
2
Wheat Flour
3
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
Butter
5
Milk
6
Liquid Whole Eggs
7
Shortening
8
Palm Oil
9
Soybean Oil
10
Baking Powder
11
Artificial Flavor
12
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
13
Icing
14
Icing Sugar
15
Granulated Sugar
16
Water
17
Meringue Powder
18
Corn Syrup Solids
19
Egg Whites
20
Gum Arabic
21
Calcium Lactate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
22
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
23
Sodium Aluminum Sulphate
24
Cream Of Tartar
25
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
26
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
27
Color
28
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
29
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
30
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
31
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
32
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
33
Blue 2
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
Corn Starch
35
Locust Bean Gum
36
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate As Preservatives

Full Ingredient List

Cookie (wheat flour, sugar, butter [milk], liquid whole eggs, shortening [palm oil, soybean oil], baking powder, artificial flavor, salt), icing (icing sugar, granulated sugar, water, meringue powder [sugar, corn syrup solids, dried egg whites, gum arabic, calcium lactate, lactic acid, sodium aluminum sulphate, cream of tartar, citric acid, artificial flavor, xanthan gum], color [water, sugar, fd&c red #3, fd&c red #40, fd&c yellow #5, fd&c yellow #6, fd&c blue #1, fd&c blue #2, modified corn starch, locust bean gum, citric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate as preservatives]).

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Biscuits

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