How to read the score
The 0-100 score counts flagged ingredients from FDA and CSPI records. It is not a nutrition grade; compare products in the same category.
- 83.4%
- indexed products score 90-100
- 8.7%
- score 70-89
- 7.9%
- score below 70
Share of 382,839 scoreable indexed products as of September 2026.
Why a Scoring System Matters for Grocery Decisions
A typical US grocery store stocks 30,000 to 50,000 products. Each product contains an average of 5 to 15 ingredients, many of them additives with names that mean nothing to a non-chemist. The FDA has approved or listed over 10,000 food substances, and the scientific evidence on many of them has evolved since their original approval.
Consumers who want to make informed choices face an impossible task: reading every label, cross-referencing every additive against FDA databases and peer-reviewed research, and tracking which substances have been flagged by independent safety organizations. The PlainFoodSafe safety score compresses that research into a single comparable number.
But like any single metric, it captures some things well and misses others entirely. Understanding what the score measures, and what it does not, is the difference between using it wisely and being misled by it.
How the Score Is Calculated
Every product starts with a perfect score of 100. The algorithm then evaluates each listed ingredient against three data sources and subtracts points when concerns are identified. This score is a transparent derived index PlainFoodSafe computes from public FDA and CSPI data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement.
What it checks: Each ingredient is matched against the FDA SAFFA database (regulatory status), the CSPI Chemical Cuisine guide (toxicological safety rating), and an internal list of known controversial additives such as synthetic dyes, BHA, BHT, and partially hydrogenated oils.
How deductions work: Deductions are severity-weighted. An ingredient rated "Avoid" by CSPI costs more points than one rated "Caution". CSPI defines "Avoid" as unsafe in the amounts consumed or very poorly tested and not worth any risk, and "Caution" as may pose a risk and needs to be better tested, so an "Avoid" rating does not on its own mean proven harm. An FDA-prohibited substance triggers the maximum deduction. A GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) ingredient with no CSPI flags triggers no deduction at all.
How to use it: Compare scores within the same product category. A score of 85 for a breakfast cereal means something different than 85 for a condiment, because the typical ingredient complexity differs. Use the brand comparison pages to see how products stack up within categories.
Worked example
How four documented flags become a 55/100 score
This is a real indexed product as of September 2026. The algorithm starts every label at 100, applies severity-weighted deductions for each matched flag, and stores the resulting score. Individual deduction weights live in our methodology; this panel shows only source-backed flags and the stored outcome.
Example product
Full values for this example
- Barcode
- 0000790105008
- Documented flags
- 3
- Aggregate gap from 100
- 45 points
- Stored safety score
- 55/100
- Red 40
- Higher-weight flag · synthetic dye
- Titanium Dioxide
- Moderate-weight flag · controversial
- Caramel Coloring
- Lower-weight flag · controversial
The score summarizes documented ingredient flags from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, and our flagged-additive list. It is not a nutrition grade, a recall status, or a personal health finding. Open the product record to inspect the underlying label.
What the Score Captures Well
What it tells you: The score reliably identifies products containing ingredients with documented regulatory or toxicological concerns. Products scoring below 70 almost always contain multiple flagged additives, synthetic dyes, controversial preservatives, or substances other countries have restricted.
What it does not tell you: The score says nothing about nutritional value. A product can score 100 while being nutritionally poor, think plain sugar, which has no flagged additives but is not a health food. Conversely, a nutrient-dense product with one controversial preservative might score lower than a nutritionally empty product with a clean ingredient list.
What it measures, and what it does not: the score is an ingredient-flag count, not a health assessment. Between two products it reflects only which carries fewer flagged additives. It does not account for nutrition facts, portion size, processing method, or individual sensitivities, and a high score is not a finding that a product is healthy or that a low-scoring one is unsafe.
Common Score Patterns to Understand
Products in certain categories tend to cluster at specific score ranges. Understanding these patterns prevents misinterpretation. Here is how our full indexed catalog actually breaks down across the three bands, as of September 2026:
90-100 · minimal concerns
83.4%
Fresh, minimally processed products with simple ingredient lists, plus many "clean label" brands that avoid controversial additives.
70-89 · moderate concerns
8.7%
One or two flagged ingredients, often a synthetic dye or a preservative like sodium benzoate. Most conventional packaged foods fall here.
Below 70 · elevated concerns
7.9%
Multiple flagged ingredients, common in candy, brightly colored snacks, and heavily processed convenience foods with CSPI "Caution" or "Avoid" ratings.
What This Means for You: Using Scores at the Grocery Store
- Identify your category. Search for the product type on PlainFoodSafe and note the score range for that category. A score of 80 in candy is well above average; in plain oats, it would be below average.
- Compare within category. The score is most useful as a comparison tool. If two brands of pasta sauce score 95 and 72, the difference is meaningful, check which ingredients cause the gap.
- Check the flagged ingredients. Every product page lists which specific ingredients triggered deductions and why. A single deduction for a common preservative is different from multiple deductions for synthetic dyes.
- Apply your own priorities. Some consumers specifically avoid synthetic dyes; others are more concerned about preservatives or controversial sweeteners. The ingredient-level detail lets you apply your own risk tolerance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the PlainFoodSafe safety score calculated?
The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for each ingredient with documented safety concerns. Deductions are weighted by severity, a CSPI "Avoid" rating or FDA prohibited status costs more points than a "Caution" rating. The final score ranges from 0 to 100.
What does a safety score of 100 mean?
A score of 100 means no flagged ingredients were found. It does not mean the product is "healthy" - it only reflects ingredient safety concerns from regulatory and toxicological data. A candy bar with no controversial additives can score 100.
Why do similar products from different brands have different scores?
Brands use different formulations. One brand may use natural coloring while another uses synthetic dyes like Yellow 5. The version with synthetic dyes receives deductions. Comparing scores across brands for the same product type is one of the most useful applications.
Can a product with a low safety score still be safe to eat?
Yes. A low score means the product contains ingredients with documented concerns, not that it poses an immediate danger. Most flagged ingredients are FDA-approved and widely consumed. The score highlights relative concern levels for informed comparisons.