Cheddar Cheese*

Cheddar Cheese* carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 124 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Cheddar Cheese* highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Cheddar Cheese*124
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Cheddar Cheese* has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Cheddar Cheese* currently appears in 124 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

Cheddar Cheese* serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.

No specific concern flags are attached to Cheddar Cheese* in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Cheddar Cheese*
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 124 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 124 products

Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes
Unknown
100/100
Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes Twin Pack
Unknown
100/100
Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes Value Size
Unknown
100/100
Betty Crocker Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes
Unknown
100/100
Betty Crocker Four Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Unknown
100/100
Betty Crocker Loaded Potato Casserole Twin Pack
Unknown
85/100
Betty Crocker Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
Unknown
100/100
Betty Crocker, Suddenly Pasta Salad, Buffalo Ranch, Buffalo Ranch
Betty crocker
100/100
Bold and Soft Taco Dinner Kit
Old El Paso
50/100
Bold Nacho Cheese Flavored Taco Shells
Old El Paso
50/100
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Boulder Organic!
100/100
Broccoli Florets
Lisa's Organics
100/100
Bty crk sdnly grain sld sd dsh kit sthwst
Unknown
100/100
Caesar salad dressing
Unknown
95/100
Caesar Salad Dressing
Raley's
95/100
Chckn hlpr pasta sauce mix crspy chdr bacon chckn
Unknown
85/100
Cheddar & Sour Cream
Unknown
100/100
Cheddar Cheese Melt Hamburger Helper
Unknown
95/100
Cheddar Cheese Melt Hamburger Helper Twin Pack
Unknown
95/100
Cheese Baked Crackers
Lowes Foods
100/100
Cheese Burger Skillet Meal Pasta & Cheese Sauce Mix
Fresh & Easy
100/100
Cheese nips crackers 1x
Unknown
100/100
Cheese nips crackers 1x11 oz
Nabisco
100/100
Cheese nips crackers reduced fat1x11.750 oz
Unknown
100/100
Cheese soft tortilla bowl
Old El Paso
50/100
Cheeseburger macaroni
Hamburger Helper
95/100
Cheeseburger macaroni meal
General Mills
100/100
Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner
Wild Oats Marketplace
100/100
Cheesters crackers
Meijer
100/100
Cheesy bacon biscuit mix, cheesy bacon
Unknown
100/100
Cheesy Beef Pasta Not Prepared
Hamburger Helper
95/100
Cheesy cheddar flavored mashed potatoes, cheesy cheddar
Unknown
100/100
Cheesy Hashbrowns Hamburger Helper
General Mills
100/100
Cheesy Italian Shells Hamburger Helper
Unknown
100/100
Cheesy italian shells pasta & italian style sauce mix
Unknown
100/100
Cheesy Taco Hamburger Helper Twin Pack
Unknown
100/100
Cheesy Tuna Skillet Meal
Fresh & Easy
100/100
Cheey Lasagna Skillet Meal
Fresh & Easy Llc
95/100
Chicken Helper, Ultimate Pasta & Seasoning Mix, Cheddar Broccoli, Cheddar Broccoli
Chicken helper
100/100
Classic shells & cheese, classic
Unknown
100/100
Complete salad kit with tomatillo avocado dressing
Unknown
100/100
Cooked Potato Chips
Kettle, Giant Eagle Inc.
100/100
Crispy thin crust pizza topped with white-meat chicken, diced tomatoes, basil, spinach and mozzarella, parmesan, asiago & romano cheeses over pesto sauce, chicken pesto
Unknown
100/100
Darrenkamp's, Dip & Spread
Dutch Valley Food Distributors Inc.
50/100
Deluxe Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper
Unknown
100/100
Double cheeseburger macaroni hamburger
Hamburger Helper
100/100
Double Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper Twin Pack
General Mills
100/100
Dressing
Unknown
95/100
Family style cheddar broccoli rice in a cheese sauce, cheddar broccoli
Unknown
100/100
Fat free cheese flavor sprinkles
Molly Mcbutter
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cheddar Cheese* safe to eat?

Cheddar Cheese* has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Cheddar Cheese*?

Cheddar Cheese* is found in 124 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Cheddar Cheese* do in food?

Cheddar Cheese* serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.