Brownie

by Metsovo Baking Company

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Brownie by Metsovo Baking Company receives a safety score of 55/100 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
0895178001078
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 CAKE (37 g)

What the Data Says About

Brownie by Metsovo Baking Company carries a composite safety score of 55/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Brownie 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 Brownie
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 55/100 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
Brownie Mix
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Enriched Wheat Flour Bleached
4
Flour
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Reduced Iron
7
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
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
Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
12
Soybean
13
Cottonseed Oil
14
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
15
Corn Syrup Solids
16
Soybean Oil
17
Dry Egg Whites
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
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
20
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
21
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
22
Soy Lecithin
23
Leavening
24
Baking Soda
25
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate
26
Natural And Artificial Flavors
27
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
28
Nonfat Milk
29
Water
30
Cream Cheese Filling
31
Starch
Thickener
Safe
32
Shortening
33
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
34
Phosphoric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
Cut Back GRAS
35
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
36
Greek Yogurt
37
Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Fat Free Milk
38
Fat Free Milk Solids
39
Glycerine
40
Sodium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Brownie mix (sugar, enriched wheat flour bleached [flour, niacin, reduced iron, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], partially hydrogenated vegetable oil [soybean and/or cottonseed oil], cocoa processed with alkali, corn syrup solids, soybean oil, dry egg whites, cornstarch, salt, caramel color, dextrose, soy lecithin, leavening [baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate], natural and artificial flavors, red 40, nonfat milk), water, cream cheese filling (modified starch, shortening, titanium dioxide, phosphoric acid, potassium sorbate), greek yogurt (cultured pasteurized grade a fat free milk, fat free milk solids), glycerine, sodium propionate.

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