Limited edition scarycakes

by Hostess

10
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

Limited edition scarycakes by Hostess 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
0888109110253
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 cake (45 g)

What the Data Says About

Limited edition scarycakes by Hostess 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, Limited edition scarycakes 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 Limited edition scarycakes
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
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Water
3
Enriched Flour
4
Bleached Wheat Flour
5
Malted Barley Flour
6
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Ferrous Sulfate Or Reduced Iron
8
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
11
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
12
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
13
Tallow
14
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
15
Soybean Oil
16
Palm Oil
17
Shortening
18
Tallow
19
Or Less: Glycerin
20
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
21
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
22
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
23
Baking Soda
24
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
25
Inulin
Other
Safe
26
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
27
Mono And Diglycerides
28
Egg
29
Medium Chain Triglycerides
30
Sorbic Acid And Potassium Sorbate
31
To Retain Freshness
32
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
33
Egg White
34
Emulsifier
35
Mono And Diglyceride
36
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
37
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Other
Safe
38
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
39
Natural And Artificial Flavors
40
Organic Cocoa
41
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
42
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
43
Cottonseed Oil
44
Agar
45
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
46
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
47
Color
48
Enzymes
49
Defatted Soy Flour
50
Cellulose Gum
51
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
52
Soy Lecithin
53
Locust Bean Gum
54
Sunflower Lecithin
55
Monocalcium Phosphate
56
Sunflower Oil
57
Sodium Phosphate
58
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate or reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, tallow, cocoa processed with alkali, soybean oil, palm oil, shortening (tallow, hydrogenated tallow), contains 2% or less: glycerin, cornstarch, whey, modified cornstarch, baking soda, salt, hydrogenated tallow, inulin, calcium carbonate, mono and diglycerides, egg, medium chain triglycerides, sorbic acid and potassium sorbate (to retain freshness), calcium sulfate, egg white, emulsifier (water, mono and diglyceride, polysorbate 60, sodium stearoyl lactylate), dextrose, natural and artificial flavors, cocoa, sodium acid pyrophosphate, yellow 5 lake, cottonseed oil, agar, sodium stearoyl lactylate, xanthan gum, titanium dioxide (color), enzymes, defatted soy flour, cellulose gum, polysorbate 60, red 40, soy lecithin, locust bean gum, sunflower lecithin, monocalcium phosphate, sunflower oil, sodium phosphate, yellow 6.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Cakes

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