Avoid

Cup cakes

by Hostess

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0888109111328 · Hostess · Snacks. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0888109111328 · Serving size 1 CAKE (45 g)

The verdict

Cup cakes by Hostess scores 35/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 61 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 61-component record, beginning with Sugar, Water, Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

35/100
Avoid safety score
3
Few flagged · of 61 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

25/100

Grade F

Ingredient Safety

35/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

E

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

09111328 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Cup cakes label screening desk

SCORE-AVOID 35/100 FLAG-FEW 3 flagged LEN-DENSE 61 ing. REG-PART 34% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-E Nutri-E RANK-SHORT Len top 1% LEAD-FLAG Polysorbate 60 PHOTO-FINISH Freeze-dried Mint Chocolate · ±0 BOOK-OFF …111328 · July 2026

21 of 61 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Polysorbate 60). Source sheet 09111328 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Freeze-dried Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich · Nearest score peer is Freeze-dried Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the lowest of the four bands. That is where labels land when registry-rated components drive the greater part of the deduction from the index. The band name is drawn from the framework's own scale and is distinct from the ratings the registries themselves assign to individual substances, which are shown per component below. A single heavily rated component and several lightly rated ones can produce the same band, so the component table is the more precise reading of the two.

Nutri-Score assigned its lowest band to this label. The algorithm reserves that grade for nutrition panels where the values it penalises sit well above the components it credits. The two systems on this page measure genuinely different things: a product can hold this grade while carrying no additive flagged by the registries screened below, and a product graded well can carry several. Neither reading substitutes for the other, and the per-component table is where the additive picture is set out.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Cup cakes: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Cup cakes35/1002. Freeze-dried Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. Freeze-dried Mint Chocola…35/1003. Pastry Pocket: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. Pastry Pocket35/1004. Red Hots Sausage: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Red Hots Sausage35/1005. Pringles, potato crisps, milk chocolate, milk chocolate: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Pringles, potato crisps, …35/100
Nearest cross-brand screening scores for Cup cakes (35/100 on 61 parsed ingredients).
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Cup cakes
35/100
Freeze-dried Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich
35/100
Pastry Pocket
35/100
Red Hots Sausage
35/100
Pringles, potato crisps, milk chocolate, milk chocolate
35/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 88,006 products we've scored in the Snacks category, the average safety score is 86.1/100. Cup cakes scores 51.1 points below that category average (35/100 vs. 86.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Snacks products

Cup cakes lists 61 ingredients on its label

61 99th percentile a longer ingredient list than 99% of the 81,477 products we track

0–2: 275 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 2,901 products (4%). Below this entry. 4–6: 4,248 products (5%). Below this entry. 6–8: 5,408 products (7%). Below this entry. 8–10: 5,486 products (7%). Below this entry. 10–12: 5,840 products (7%). Below this entry. 12–14: 6,252 products (8%). Below this entry. 14–16: 6,724 products (8%). Below this entry. 16–18: 6,221 products (8%). Below this entry. 18–20: 5,168 products (6%). Below this entry. 20–22: 4,508 products (6%). Below this entry. 22–24: 3,809 products (5%). Below this entry. 24–26: 3,567 products (4%). Below this entry. 26–28: 2,829 products (3%). Below this entry. 28–30: 2,282 products (3%). Below this entry. 30–32: 1,905 products (2%). Below this entry. 32–34: 1,715 products (2%). Below this entry. 34–36: 1,572 products (2%). Below this entry. 36–38: 1,417 products (2%). Below this entry. 38–40: 1,284 products (2%). Below this entry. 40–42: 8,066 products (10%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Snacks product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

81,477 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 61 (99th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
275 products (0%)
2–4
2,901 products (4%)
4–6
4,248 products (5%)
6–8
5,408 products (7%)
8–10
5,486 products (7%)
10–12
5,840 products (7%)
12–14
6,252 products (8%)
14–16
6,724 products (8%)
16–18
6,221 products (8%)
18–20
5,168 products (6%)
20–22
4,508 products (6%)
22–24
3,809 products (5%)
24–26
3,567 products (4%)
26–28
2,829 products (3%)
28–30
2,282 products (3%)
30–32
1,905 products (2%)
32–34
1,715 products (2%)
34–36
1,572 products (2%)
36–38
1,417 products (2%)
38–40
1,284 products (2%)
40 and above
8,066 products (10%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 81,477 Snacks products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 35/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (3 flagged of 61 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Water
3
Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour
4
Wheat Flour
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
7
Iron
8
Thiamin Mononitrate
9
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
11
Palm Oil
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
Corn Starch
14
Eggs
15
Egg Whites
16
Nonfat Dry Milk
17
Dairy Blend
18
Soy Flour
19
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
20
Calcium Sodium Caseinate
21
Soy Protein Isolate
22
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
23
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
24
Baking Soda
25
Stabilizer Blend
26
Guar Gum
27
Cellulose Gum
28
Sodium Stearyol Lactylate
29
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
30
Monocalcium Phosphate
31
Enzymes
32
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
33
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
35
Animal And Vegetable Shortening
36
Beef Tallow
37
Beef Tallow
38
Cottonseed Oil
39
Mono And Diglycerides
40
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
41
Soy Lecithin
42
Glycerin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
43
Strawberry Puree
44
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
45
Soybean Oil
46
Corn Syrup Solids
47
Mono - And Diglycerides
48
Chocolate Liquor
49
Artificial Flavors
50
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
51
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
52
Agar
53
Locust Bean Gum
54
Sunflower Oil
55
Disodium Phosphate
56
Inulin
Other
Safe
57
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
58
Natural And Artificial Flavors
59
Potassium Sorbate And Sorbic Acid
60
Sodium Stearate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, PROPELLANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Prior Sanctioned
61
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, water, bleached enriched wheat flour [wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate (iron), thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], palm oil, corn syrup, modified corn starch, eggs, egg whites, nonfat dry milk, dairy blend (soy flour, whey, calcium sodium caseinate, soy protein isolate), salt, sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, stabilizer blend (guar gum, cellulose gum), sodium stearyol lactylate, xanthan gum, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, yellow 5, red 40, high fructose corn syrup, animal and vegetable shortening (beef tallow, hydrogenated beef tallow, cottonseed oil, mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 60, soy lecithin), contains 2% or less: glycerin, strawberry puree, cocoa processed with alkali, soybean oil, corn syrup solids, mono - and diglycerides, chocolate liquor, artificial flavors, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, agar, locust bean gum, sunflower oil, disodium phosphate, inulin, dextrose, natural and artificial flavors, potassium sorbate and sorbic acid (to retain freshness), sodium stearate, titanium dioxide.

Other products containing Sodium Stearyol Lactylate

Sodium Stearyol Lactylate is the least common ingredient on this label, appearing in 6 products across the catalog. See its safety profile.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Cakes

Lower-score cross-brand comparables for Cup cakes

Neighbours outside Hostess in the same lower screening band as Cup cakes (35/100). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Hostess; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Polysorbate 60 is the first flagged ingredient selected from Cup cakes's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 61-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Polysorbate 60. Open Polysorbate 60
  • Compare Cup cakes's 3 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0888109111328: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.