Iced Lemon Flavored Cake With Creamy Filling Cupcakes, Iced Lemon

by Hostess

35
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Iced Lemon Flavored Cake With Creamy Filling Cupcakes, Iced Lemon by Hostess 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
0888109114688
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 Cake (45 g)

What the Data Says About

Iced Lemon Flavored Cake With Creamy Filling Cupcakes, Iced Lemon by Hostess 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, Iced Lemon Flavored Cake With Creamy Filling Cupcakes, Iced Lemon 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 Iced Lemon Flavored Cake With Creamy Filling Cupcakes, Iced Lemon
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 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
Tallow
12
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
13
Palm Oil
14
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
15
Or Less: Cornstarch Modified
16
Egg
17
Soybean Oil
18
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
19
Mono And Diglycerides
20
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
21
Egg White
22
Nonfat Dry Milk
23
Tallow
24
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
25
Inulin
Other
Safe
26
Defatted Soy Flour
27
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
28
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
29
Baking Soda
30
Natural And Artificial Flavors
31
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
32
Sorbic Acid And Potassium Sorbate
33
To Retain Freshness
34
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
35
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
36
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
37
Agar
38
Cellulose Gum
39
Medium Chain Triglycerides
40
Enzymes
41
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
42
Color
43
Monocalcium Phosphate
44
Guar Gum
45
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
46
Soy Lecithin
47
Locust Bean Gum
48
Fumaric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe Approved
49
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
50
Soy Protein Isolate
51
Sodium Caseinate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
52
Disodium Phosphate
53
Sunflower Lecithin
54
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), Tallow, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Corn Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less: Modified Cornstarch, Egg, Soybean Oil, Cornstarch, Mono And Diglycerides, Whey, Egg White, Nonfat Dry Milk, Hydrogenated Tallow, Salt, Inulin, Defatted Soy Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Calcium Sulfate, Sorbic Acid And Potassium Sorbate (To Retain Freshness), Dextrose, Polysorbate 60, Glycerin, Agar, Cellulose Gum, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Enzymes, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Monocalcium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Yellow 5 Lake, Soy Lecithin, Locust Bean Gum, Fumaric Acid, Calcium Caseinate, Soy Protein Isolate, Sodium Caseinate, Disodium Phosphate, Sunflower Lecithin, Yellow 6 Lake.

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