Velveeta
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Velveeta, 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
Velveeta averages 96.8/100 across the 77 of 116 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 11.7% 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.
- 96.8/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 77 scored products
- 116
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 11.7%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 98.7%
- 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 116 tracked products, the useful signal is the shape of the portfolio rather than one headline score. The current concern-sorted list begins Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac One Pan Dinner Kits; Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes; Classic Lasagna Dinner Kit; 11.7% of records contain at least one flagged ingredient while the overall mean is 96.8/100. 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 77 of 116 tracked Velveeta records (66.4%) include an ingredient list. The remaining 39 cannot be screened, so the 96.8/100 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 Velveeta
Velveeta: 116 products tracked, 77 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 96.8/100, 11.7% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Because ingredient lists cover only 66.4% 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), Velveeta's 11.7% flagged share is 6.3 points below that cohort median.
Processing mix (NOVA)
Velveeta processing intensity
Velveeta's NOVA-classified set is 76 products: 98.7% ultra-processed (Group 4, 75 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 75. That ultra-processed share sits 20.4 points above the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Velveeta shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Velveeta concentrates in Meals (21, 40% of this top-five); Dairies (18); Plant-based foods and beverages (6); Frozen foods (5); Condiments (2).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meals | 18 | 93.6/100 | 11.1% |
| Dairies | 17 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 6 | 87.5/100 | 33.3% |
| Frozen foods | 5 | 92/100 | 80% |
| Condiments | 2 | 100/100 | 0% |
Cohort context
Flagged-ingredient share among large brands
Velveeta's 11.7% flagged share is measured across 77 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.
Velveeta flagged share vs large-brand cohort
11.7% of scored products carry at least one flagged ingredient
12% 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 (96.8/100) summarizes 77 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.
Velveeta product score distribution
Brand average 96.8/100 across 77 scored products
97 10th percentile sits above 10% of the 77 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
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 50–60
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 70–80
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 80–90
- 4 scored products (5%)
- 90–100
- 2 scored products (3%)
- 100 and above
- 68 scored products (88%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Velveeta relies most on Yellow 6, an industry staple
Across the 77 Velveeta products scored here, Yellow 6 appears in 3. It is used by 1,766 other brands in this database (5.0% 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 | Velveeta products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow 6 | 3 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Carrageenan | 2 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Sodium Nitrite | 2 | Preservative with a recorded concern |
| TBHQ | 2 | Preservative with a recorded concern |
| Yellow 5 | 2 | 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 Velveeta 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 (28 ingredients and 100/100) 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
- 28 ingredients
- Median score
- 100/100
The outlined point is Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac One Pan Dinner Kits, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (4). 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
- Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac One Pan Dinner Kits: 53 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes: 39 resolved ingredients, 50/100, 2 flagged.
- Classic Lasagna Dinner Kit: 34 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- CHICKEN BACON RANCH: 48 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Velveeta Shells & Cheese Bacon: 45 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheesy bites: 42 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheesy bites: 38 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Stuffed grilled cheese: 58 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Stuffed grilled cheese: 58 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Shells & Cheese Original: 35 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shells & Cheese: 35 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Rotini & Cheese Creamy Cheese Sauce With 50% Whole Grain Rotini Pasta, Whole Grain: 31 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shells & Cheese: 37 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Creamy Beef Stroganoff: 48 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- CHICKEN ALFREDO CHEESE SAUCE WITH PASTA & SEASONINGS: 36 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Queso blanco pasteurized recipe cheese product: 21 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sharp Cheddar Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Product, Sharp Cheddar: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shredded Pasteurized Prepared Cheese: 15 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Grilled cheese sandwich: 16 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Pasteurized Recipe Product With Jalapeo Peppers Cheese: 18 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheesy Potatoes: 46 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shells & Cheese Queso Blanco Microwaveable Shell Pasta & Cheese Sauce, Shells & Cheese: 32 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheesy Skillets Dinner Kit: 57 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheesy Casseroles Dinner Kit, Chicken Pot Pie: 66 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Velveeta cheesy bowls: 3 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chicken & Broccoli: 58 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shreds, Cheddar: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shreds, Shredded Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Preduct, Mozzarella: 18 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Velveeta Shells & Cheese: 31 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shredded Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product: 17 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheesy double decker taco dinner kit: 54 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shreds, Mozzarella: 18 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Jalapeno cheese sauce: 11 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Product, Original: 22 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- 2% Milk Cheese: 23 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Queso Blanco Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product: 20 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Pasteurized Prepared Cheddar Cheese Product, Sharp: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Original Shell Pasta & Creamy Cheese Sauce, Original: 29 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mexican Style Cheddar Blend Shreds: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mexican Style Shredded Cheddar Cheese Blend: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Jalapeno Cheese Sauce, Jalapeno: 18 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Velveeta Shreds: 23 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shredded Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, Queso Blanco: 16 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Velveeta Shreds: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mozzarella: 17 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Velveeta Shells & Cheese Original: 35 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mini Blocks, Original: 20 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Dip Cups, Chili Cheese: 27 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Dip Cups, Nacho Cheese: 27 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Creamy Cheese Sauce With Rotini Pasta & Salsa, Salsa Con Queso: 38 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
Products by Velveeta
Showing 50 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first); 66 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 Velveeta: closest on tracked product count (116 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (96.8/100 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 Velveeta food safe? ▼
Velveeta has an average safety score of 97/100 across the 77 of 116 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 11.7% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Velveeta products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 116 Velveeta products. 77 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 39 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Velveeta catalog? ▼
Velveeta has 76 NOVA-classified products; 98.7% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 75 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Velveeta catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Velveeta concentrates in Meals (21, 40% of this top-five); Dairies (18); Plant-based foods and beverages (6); Frozen foods (5); Condiments (2).
Does Velveeta use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Velveeta 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 Velveeta 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 Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac One Pan Dinner Kits, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (4) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Yellow 6 appears in 3 scored Velveeta products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Velveeta's 96.8/100 average and 11.7% 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.
