Cheerios
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Cheerios, 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
Cheerios averages 97.4/100 across the 81 of 167 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 35.8% 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.
- 97.4/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 81 scored products
- 167
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 35.8%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 88.5%
- 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 167 tracked products, the useful signal is the shape of the portfolio rather than one headline score. The current concern-sorted list begins Crispy corn snacks; Assorted breakfast cereal pouches; Chocolate flavored whole grain oat cereal; 35.8% of records contain at least one flagged ingredient while the overall mean is 97.4/100. 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.
Catalog evidence
Ingredient-list coverage comes before the score
Only 81 of 167 tracked Cheerios records (48.5%) include an ingredient list. The remaining 86 cannot be screened, so the 97.4/100 mean describes the labelled subset rather than the whole brand.
Next check: use the product rows below to verify the labelled subset, then compare the current package for any unscored item.
What the Data Says About Cheerios
Cheerios: 167 products tracked, 81 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 97.4/100, 35.8% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Because ingredient lists cover only 48.5% of tracked records, this average is a description of the labelled subset, not a brand-wide tier. The coverage gap is the dominant limitation. Scoring methodology + dye-pledge context →
Among the 804 brands with 50+ products (the typical brand in that group flags 18% of its catalog), Cheerios's 35.8% flagged share is 17.8 points above that cohort median.
Processing mix (NOVA)
Cheerios processing intensity
Cheerios's NOVA-classified set is 78 products: 88.5% ultra-processed (Group 4, 69 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 69. That ultra-processed share sits 10.2 points above the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Cheerios shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Cheerios concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (116, 97% of this top-five); Snacks (3); Condiments (1).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 70 | 98.4/100 | 32.9% |
| Snacks | 3 | 80/100 | 100% |
Cohort context
Flagged-ingredient share among large brands
Cheerios's 35.8% flagged share is measured across 81 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.
Cheerios flagged share vs large-brand cohort
35.8% of scored products carry at least one flagged ingredient
36% 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 (97.4/100) summarizes 81 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.
Cheerios product score distribution
Brand average 97.4/100 across 81 scored products
97 19th percentile sits above 19% of the 81 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
- 50–60
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 70–80
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 90–100
- 27 scored products (33%)
- 100 and above
- 52 scored products (64%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Cheerios relies most on Caramel Coloring, an industry staple
Across the 81 Cheerios products scored here, Caramel Coloring appears in 25. 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 | Cheerios products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Caramel Coloring | 25 | Restricted: California (Prop 65 warning for 4-MEI) |
| Carrageenan | 2 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Red 40 | 2 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Yellow 6 | 1 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
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 Cheerios 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 (33 ingredients and 95/100) 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
- 33 ingredients
- Median score
- 95/100
The outlined point is Crispy corn snacks, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (2). 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
- Crispy corn snacks: 38 resolved ingredients, 50/100, 2 flagged.
- Assorted breakfast cereal pouches: 29 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Chocolate flavored whole grain oat cereal: 32 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios Treats, Honey Nut: 53 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon: 40 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios cinnamon gluten free: 29 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cinnamon Cheerios: 31 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Oat Crunch Cinnamon: 39 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Multi Grain Cheerios: 32 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios Oat Cunch Almond imp: 39 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Chocolate peanut butter cheerios: 34 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Multi Grain Cheerios: 33 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon: 38 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cinnamon Cheerios: 31 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios: 35 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios Oat Crunch Berry: 41 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Oat Crunch: 32 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios Oat Crunch Chocolate: 36 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Protein Chewy Bars Mixed Berry: 45 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cookies & Crème Cheerios Protein: 28 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Banana Caramel Cheerios: 15 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Granola: 35 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Granola honey nut: 34 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios cereal bar: 53 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Protein Chewy Bar: 45 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Multi Grain Cheerios: 35 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Multi grain cereal: 36 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheerios Honey Nut: 64 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Multigrain cheerios: 32 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Multi Grain Cheerios: 16 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheerios Cereal Singlepak: 22 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal Singlepak: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Apple cinnamon whole grain oat cereal: 32 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Very Berry Cheerios Cereal: 33 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- General mills sweetened whole grain oat cereal: 33 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch Cereal: 43 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Peach Cheerios Cereal: 13 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Peach Cheerios Cereal: 32 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sweetened Whole Grain Oat Cereal, Strawberry: 29 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Blueberry sweetened whole grain oat cereal: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheerios oat crunch: 38 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Oat crunch breakfast cereal: 4 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Toasted Coconut Sweetened Whole Grain Oat Cereal, Toasted Coconut: 28 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Lightly Sweetened Multi Grain Cereal: 33 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Oat Crunch: 37 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch: 39 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Fruity cheerios: 33 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
Products by Cheerios
Showing 50 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first); 117 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 Cheerios: closest on tracked product count (167 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (97.4/100 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 Cheerios food safe? ▼
Cheerios has an average safety score of 97/100 across the 81 of 167 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 35.8% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Cheerios products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 167 Cheerios products. 81 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 86 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Cheerios catalog? ▼
Cheerios has 78 NOVA-classified products; 88.5% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 69 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Cheerios catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Cheerios concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (116, 97% of this top-five); Snacks (3); Condiments (1).
Does Cheerios use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Cheerios 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 Cheerios 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 Crispy corn snacks, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (2) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Caramel Coloring appears in 25 scored Cheerios products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Cheerios's 97.4/100 average and 35.8% 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.
