What's really in your food?
Ingredient-level safety scores for 859,000+ US food products. Each rating draws on FDA SAFFA approval status, CSPI Chemical Cuisine evaluation, and current state-level ingredient bans — surfaced together with one click.
70% of the 380,056 NOVA-classified products in our index are ultra-processed — see the full breakdown below.
Cross-references 850k+ US food products' ingredients with FDA/CSPI safety ratings, state bans & dye pledges for instant risk alerts.
- 859,664
- Products
- 296,812
- Ingredients
- 38,532
- Brands
- 26
- Flagged additives
How processed is the US food supply?
Share of the 380,056 NOVA-classified products in each processing level. NOVA (Monteiro et al.) groups foods from minimally processed to ultra-processed.
Share of NOVA-classified products by processing level (n=380,056). Source: Open Food Facts NOVA classification.
Which flagged additives appear in the most products?
Number of indexed products containing each additive PlainFoodSafe flags for synthetic dye, preservative, or banned-substance concerns.
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
FDA Food Dye Phase-Out
The FDA is phasing out 6 synthetic food dyes by October 2027. Red 3 was banned in January 2025. 9 of 22 major food companies have active removal pledges.
Most Common Concerning Ingredients
All ingredients →Flagged ingredients found in the most products across the database.
Products with Most Concerns
Full rankings →Products containing the highest number of flagged ingredients.
Safest Brands
View all brands →Guides & Analysis
FDA Food Dye Ban
Complete timeline of the dye phase-out, company pledges, and affected products.
Reading Food Labels
Decode ingredient lists using FDA status, CSPI ratings, and safety scores.
Safest Brands in America
Data-driven ranking of 38,000+ brands by ingredient safety scores.
State Ingredient Bans
Complete tracker of state-level food additive bans and pending legislation.
Explore the database
Product data from OpenFoodFacts (Open Database License). Ingredient safety ratings from FDA SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) and CSPI Chemical Cuisine database. Safety scores are algorithmic assessments and should not replace professional medical or dietary advice. This site is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the FDA, USDA, or any food company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does PlainFoodSafe get its data?
Data comes from Open Food Facts (a collaborative food database), FDA SAFFA (Substances Added to Food), and CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) additive assessments. Product nutrition and ingredient data is crowdsourced and verified.
How many products are in the PlainFoodSafe database?
PlainFoodSafe includes over 859,000 food products with ingredient lists, 296,000 unique ingredients, and data from 38,000 brands. The database covers products sold in the United States.
Is PlainFoodSafe free?
Yes, PlainFoodSafe is completely free. You can search products, check ingredient safety, and compare brands without any account or subscription.
How are ingredient safety ratings determined?
Ingredient safety assessments come from FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status and CSPI evaluations. These ratings reflect the current scientific consensus on additive safety, though individual sensitivities may vary.
Research
Original analysis from our editorial team, every statistic derived from our own database of 859,000+ US food products. See all research.