Spoon Scout

Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies Flavored Crispy Brownie Puffs With Rainbow Chips Cereal, Cosmic Brownies

The Kellogg Company · Cakes, Cupcakes, Snack Cakes · barcode 00038000245756

What stands out

  • From the label

    The ingredients list Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) and Blue No. 2 (indigotine), which have stricter rules elsewhere. Strictest: West Virginia ban from 2028; EU warning label. Details

  • Lab testsNo lab has published results for this exact product.
  • RecallsNo FDA recall lists this barcode.
  • Additives5 ingredients have stricter rules elsewhere. Strictest: West Virginia ban from 2028; EU warning label. Which
  • TypicalFDA's tests of cakes, cupcakes, snack cakes show what's typical. See levels

Additives with restrictions somewhere

From the ingredient list on file (label data dated 2021-10-28). Recipes change, so check the package you have.

Rules that apply to more than one of these

  • US (FDA): Allowed Source. Applies to Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow), Blue No. 2 (indigotine).
  • EU: Allowed with warning label (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex V) Source. Applies to Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
  • California: Banned in school meals from 2027-12-31 Banned in food and drinks offered in California public schools from December 31, 2027. (AB 2316 (2024)) Source. Applies to Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow), Blue No. 2 (indigotine).
  • West Virginia: Banned from 2028-01-01 Food containing it is treated as adulterated in West Virginia from January 1, 2028. (HB 2354 (2025)) Source. Applies to Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow), Blue No. 2 (indigotine).
  • West Virginia: Banned in school meals from 2025-08-01 Banned in West Virginia school meals since August 1, 2025. (HB 2354 (2025)) Source. Applies to Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow), Blue No. 2 (indigotine).
  • Texas: Warning label required from 2027-01-01 Labels developed on or after January 1, 2027 must warn that the product contains an ingredient not recommended for consumption in Australia, Canada, the EU or the UK. (SB 25 (2025)) Source. Applies to all of them.
  • Louisiana: Banned in school meals from 2028-2029 school year Banned in Louisiana school food from the 2028-2029 school year (concession stands and vending machines exempt). (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source. Applies to all of them.
  • Louisiana: Warning label required from 2028-01-01 Products containing it must carry a QR code disclosure from January 1, 2028. (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source. Applies to all of them.
  • EU: Allowed (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene).

Red No. 40 (Allura Red) (E129)

Only the shared rules above.

Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) (E102)

Only the shared rules above.

Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue) (E133)

Only the shared rules above.

Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) (E110)

Only the shared rules above.

Blue No. 2 (indigotine) (E132)

Only the shared rules above.

BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) (E321)

  • US (FDA): Allowed FDA allows it as a preservative. Source

Typical for cakes, cupcakes, snack cakes

What FDA found when it bought and tested this kind of food across the US. These are not tests of this product.

FDA samples behind these numbers
  • Lead in Cake, chocolate with chocolate icing: found in 27 of 27 samples, average 8.92, highest 16 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Lead in Cake, white with white icing: found in 9 of 27 samples, average 2.56, highest 17 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Cadmium in Cake, chocolate with chocolate icing: found in 27 of 27 samples, average 17.6, highest 40 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Cadmium in Cake, white with white icing: found in 27 of 27 samples, average 4.13, highest 6.4 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Mercury in Cake, chocolate with chocolate icing: found in 9 of 27 samples, average 0.45, highest 1.9 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Mercury in Cake, white with white icing: found in 0 of 27 samples, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Arsenic (total) in Cake, chocolate with chocolate icing: found in 25 of 27 samples, average 3.6, highest 4.6 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Arsenic (total) in Cake, white with white icing: found in 10 of 27 samples, average 1.72, highest 7.4 ppb (2017-2020)
  • Perchlorate in Cake, chocolate w/ icing: found in 12 of 20 samples, average 2.76, highest 14 ppb (2008-2012)
  • Perchlorate in Cake, white w/ icing (formerly yellow cake): found in 12 of 20 samples, average 1.88, highest 9 ppb (2008-2012)

"Typically" is FDA's middle sample. Daily amounts use the long-run average and each chemical's daily limit (EPA reference dose, or FDA's level for lead) for a 33-lb toddler and a 154-lb adult. ppb = micrograms per kilogram of food. Source: FDA Total Diet Study.

Not tested

No published results for this product cover: Metals, Perchlorate, Phthalates (plastic softeners), Phthalate substitutes, Bisphenols. That means nobody has published a test, not that these are absent.

Ingredients (from the label)

SUGAR, DEGERMINATED YELLOW CORN MEAL, WHOLE GRAIN OAT FLOUR, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, PALM OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF CARAMEL COLOR, WHEAT FLOUR, SALT, BAKING SODA, WHEAT STARCH, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, PAPRIKA EXTRACT COLOR, RED 40, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1, MIXED TOCOPHEROLS (VITAMIN E) FOR FRESHNESS, YELLOW 6, RED 40 LAKE, BLUE 2 LAKE, YELLOW 5 LAKE, BLUE 1 LAKE, BHT FOR FRESHNESS. VITAMINS AND MINERALS: REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE), NIACINAMIDE, ZINC OXIDE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE), FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN D3, VITAMIN B12.

From USDA FoodData Central, label dated 2021-10-28. Labels change; check the package.

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