Big Y
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Big Y, current as of September 2026. Screening averages and flag shares live in the short-answer band below. This hero only situates the catalog slice.
The short answer
Big Y averages 95.3/100 across the 583 of 678 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 17.2% of those contain at least one separately flagged ingredient. The figure summarizes Open Food Facts labels cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI; it does not establish recall status, allergy suitability, or the composition of products outside this snapshot.
- 95.3/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 583 scored products
- 678
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 17.2%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 63.3%
- of NOVA-classified products that are ultra-processed (Group 4)
Source snapshot current as of September 2026; open individual products before making a product-specific decision.
Portfolio reading
Use the distribution, then open the outliers
With 678 tracked products, the useful signal is the shape of the portfolio rather than one headline score. The current concern-sorted list begins Jelly Beans Candy; Spice Drops Candy, Spice Drops; Large Conversation Hearts Candy; 17.2% of records contain at least one flagged ingredient while the overall mean is 95.3/100. Open those outliers first, then compare neighboring formulations. The aggregate does not establish recall status, allergen suitability, or the composition of an item outside this snapshot.
| Signal | Big Y | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Avg safety score | 95.3/100 | Above-average |
| Products tracked | 678 | OpenFoodFacts US index |
| Flagged ingredients | 17.2% | FDA SAFFA + CSPI flag overlap |
What the Data Says About Big Y
Big Y: 678 products tracked, 583 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 95.3/100, 17.2% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Big Y's labelled portfolio averages at least 95/100 in this snapshot. Open the individual rows before extending that aggregate to a specific package or formulation. Scoring methodology + dye-pledge context →
Across the 894,137 products we index overall, the average safety score is 92.8/100, and Big Y sits 2.5 points above that fleet-wide average. Among the 804 brands with 50+ products (the typical brand in that group flags 18% of its catalog), Big Y's 17.2% flagged share is 0.8 points below that cohort median.
Processing mix (NOVA)
Big Y processing intensity
Big Y's NOVA-classified set is 572 products: 63.3% ultra-processed (Group 4, 362 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 362. That ultra-processed share sits 15 points below the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Big Y shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Big Y concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (43, 34% of this top-five); Snacks (32); Condiments (22); Beverages (16); Dairies (15).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 41 | 99.6/100 | 7.3% |
| Snacks | 32 | 73.8/100 | 46.9% |
| Condiments | 22 | 99.3/100 | 13.6% |
| Beverages | 15 | 91.7/100 | 40% |
| Dairies | 15 | 99.7/100 | 6.7% |
Cohort context
Flagged-ingredient share among large brands
Big Y's 17.2% flagged share is measured across 583 scored products. The chart places that rate against the 50 brands with 50+ scored products in this snapshot, the same qualifying cohort used on the rankings page.
Big Y flagged share vs large-brand cohort
17.2% of scored products carry at least one flagged ingredient
17% 0th percentile is at or above the flagged share of 0% of the 50 qualifying brands we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more qualifying brands. 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
- 0%–10%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 10%–20%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 20%–30%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 30%–40%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 40%–50%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 50%–60%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 60%–70%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 70%–80%
- 3 qualifying brands (6%)
- 80%–90%
- 25 qualifying brands (50%)
- 90% and above
- 22 qualifying brands (44%)
Source Open Food Facts × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Portfolio shape
How scores cluster inside this brand
The brand average (95.3/100) summarizes 583 scored products. This distribution shows whether that mean sits on a tight cluster or a wide spread, a few low-scoring SKUs can matter even when the headline average looks strong.
Big Y product score distribution
Brand average 95.3/100 across 583 scored products
95 14th percentile sits above 14% of the 583 scored products we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored 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
- 0–10
- 10 scored products (2%)
- 10–20
- 1 scored products (0%)
- 20–30
- 4 scored products (1%)
- 30–40
- 2 scored products (0%)
- 40–50
- 2 scored products (0%)
- 50–60
- 1 scored products (0%)
- 60–70
- 5 scored products (1%)
- 70–80
- 11 scored products (2%)
- 80–90
- 24 scored products (4%)
- 90–100
- 40 scored products (7%)
- 100 and above
- 483 scored products (83%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Big Y relies most on Caramel Coloring, an industry staple
Across the 583 Big Y products scored here, Caramel Coloring appears in 31. It is used by 3,551 other brands in this database (10.1% of them), so its presence says more about the category than about this brand. A flag records that a named source raised a concern about an ingredient. It is not a finding that a product is unsafe to eat.
| Flagged ingredient | Big Y products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Caramel Coloring | 31 | Restricted: California (Prop 65 warning for 4-MEI) |
| Red 40 | 21 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Sucralose | 17 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Yellow 5 | 17 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Blue 1 | 16 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Yellow 6 | 16 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Carrageenan | 15 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Sodium Nitrite | 6 | Preservative with a recorded concern |
Counts are products in this database whose ingredient list names the flagged ingredient. Flags come from FDA enforcement actions, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings and US state ingredient laws; see the methodology for how each source is applied.
Visible product sample
Label complexity does not determine the screening result
Each point is one of the 50 concern-sorted Big Y records shown below. Horizontal position is the number of resolved ingredients on that product's stored label; vertical position is its source-derived screening score. The dashed medians (13 ingredients and 67.5/100) divide this displayed sample only. A longer label is not automatically worse: open a specific product to inspect its flagged rows and source coverage.
- Shown records
- 50
- Median label
- 13 ingredients
- Median score
- 67.5/100
The outlined point is Jelly Beans Candy, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (5). Bubble size represents flagged ingredient count plus one, so zero-flagged products remain visible. The score is derived from FDA SAFFA and CSPI fields; this chart does not establish recall status, dietary suitability, or a health outcome.
Read the plotted values
- Jelly Beans Candy: 17 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 5 flagged.
- Spice Drops Candy, Spice Drops: 11 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 5 flagged.
- Large Conversation Hearts Candy: 13 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 5 flagged.
- Jelly Eggs Candy: 13 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 5 flagged.
- Fruit Slices Candy, Fruit Slices: 10 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Fruit Slices Candy: 9 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Spice Drops Candy, Spice Drops: 11 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Candy Corn: 15 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Assorted Flavors Freezer Pops, Assorted: 30 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Assorted Flavors Freezer Pops, Assorted: 30 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Smarties Candy: 9 resolved ingredients, 10/100, 4 flagged.
- Light Nonfat Yogurt: 16 resolved ingredients, 30/100, 4 flagged.
- Soda: 11 resolved ingredients, 25/100, 3 flagged.
- Root Beer Barrels Candy, Root Beer Barrels: 6 resolved ingredients, 25/100, 3 flagged.
- Jelly Pumpkins: 9 resolved ingredients, 25/100, 3 flagged.
- Gummi Bunnies: 14 resolved ingredients, 25/100, 3 flagged.
- Big y, sparkling water, pineapple coconut, pineapple coconut: 29 resolved ingredients, 35/100, 3 flagged.
- Berry Punch: 12 resolved ingredients, 45/100, 3 flagged.
- Drink: 13 resolved ingredients, 45/100, 3 flagged.
- Non Fat Yogurt: 13 resolved ingredients, 65/100, 3 flagged.
- Light Nonfat Yogurt: 13 resolved ingredients, 65/100, 3 flagged.
- Skillet classics, cheeseburger macaroni hamburger dinner mix, cheeseburger macaroni: 40 resolved ingredients, 50/100, 2 flagged.
- Sparkling Water: 13 resolved ingredients, 60/100, 2 flagged.
- Blueberry waffles, blueberry: 39 resolved ingredients, 60/100, 2 flagged.
- Orange Tangerine: 14 resolved ingredients, 60/100, 2 flagged.
- Sweet & salty microwave kettle corn: 6 resolved ingredients, 70/100, 2 flagged.
- Sausage, Peppers And Onions: 33 resolved ingredients, 70/100, 2 flagged.
- Diet Cola: 9 resolved ingredients, 80/100, 2 flagged.
- Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar: 15 resolved ingredients, 80/100, 2 flagged.
- Milk chocolate hot cocoa mix, milk chocolate: 10 resolved ingredients, 80/100, 2 flagged.
- Heavy Cream: 4 resolved ingredients, 90/100, 2 flagged.
- Whole Pepperoncini: 7 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Apple Sauce: 8 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Candy favorites: 12 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- French Bread Pizza: 19 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- French Bread Pizza: 19 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Miniature Marshmallows: 9 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Pie Filling & Topping: 6 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Strawberry syrup, strawberry: 9 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Mandarin Orange Chicken With Lo Mein Noodles, Mandarin Orange: 51 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Trail Mix: 15 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Hot Dogs: 14 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sparkling Water Beverage, Lemon Lime: 13 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Instant Oatmeal, Apples & Cinnamon: 14 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Honey Oats & Flakes Cereal: 17 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- New england style clam chowder chunky soup, new england style clam chowder: 19 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sparkling Water: 13 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sparkling Water: 13 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Sliced Strawberries: 2 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Kielbasa: 17 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
Products by Big Y
Showing 50 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first); 628 tracked records with unusable upstream names remain in the aggregate but are not shown.
Nationwide brands with similar catalog profiles
Two PlainFoodSafe-derived peer sets for Big Y: closest on tracked product count (678 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (95.3/100 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-catalog strip.
Similar product count
Nearest other brands by Open Food Facts product count (floored at ≥50).
Similar average screening score
Nearest other brands by average ingredient screening score (floored at ≥50 scored products), distinct from the count row.
Counts and averages from Open Food Facts labels screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine; neither axis is a health outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Y food safe? ▼
Big Y has an average safety score of 95/100 across the 583 of 678 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 17.2% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Big Y products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 678 Big Y products. 583 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 95 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Big Y catalog? ▼
Big Y has 572 NOVA-classified products; 63.3% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 362 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Big Y catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Big Y concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (43, 34% of this top-five); Snacks (32); Condiments (22); Beverages (16); Dairies (15).
Does Big Y use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Big Y items list a synthetic dye on their label. For whether the company has committed to removing dyes, the FDA and CSPI both publish corporate-commitment trackers; we no longer restate those commitments here.
What to do with this Big Y profile
Use this roll-up as orientation, then verify the specific package you hold against its ingredient panel and the named official sources.
- Start with Jelly Beans Candy, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (5) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Caramel Coloring appears in 31 scored Big Y products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Big Y's 95.3/100 average and 17.2% flagged share against other brands before treating either figure as a recall or clearance signal. Brand safety rankings
- Cross-check any additive concern against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine rather than relying on this derived index alone. Scoring methodology
A flagged ingredient records a source concern, not a recall, ban, or medical clearance. Always verify the current package label and consult official sources for product-specific decisions.
Citation & disclaimer notes
Brand scores aggregate ingredient-level FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings across Open Food Facts product data. See our methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe.Disclaimer: Informational purposes only; not professional advice. A flagged ingredient is not a recall or a ban. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Brand figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2026.
