Dark Chicken

Dark Chicken carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 35 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 — Dark Chicken highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Dark Chicken35
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Dark Chicken 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

Dark Chicken currently appears in 35 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.

Dark Chicken 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 Dark Chicken 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 Dark Chicken
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 35 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 35 of 35 products

14.5 Oz, 4 Pack, 58 Oz
Unknown
95/100
Boneless Skinless Dark Meat Chicken Fajita Strips
Tyson,USDA
100/100
Breakfast Dark Chicken Sausage Patty
Unknown
100/100
Chef BOYARDEE
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Dinos With Meatballs Mini Bites, 15 OZ
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Easy Open Spaghetti and Meatballs, 7 OZ
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Microwave Pasta In Tomato Sauce With Meatballs Super Hero, 7.5 OZ
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Microwaveable Mini Ravioli and Meatballs, 7.5 OZ
Unknown
95/100
Chef boyardee pasta shapes in tomato sauce with meatballs, 15 oz
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Sealife Forkables, 7.5 OZ
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Spaghetti and Jumbo Meatballs, 14.5 OZ
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Sports Forkables, 14.75 OZ
Unknown
95/100
CHEF BOYARDEE Whole Grain ABC And 123 With Meatballs, 15 OZ
Unknown
95/100
Chicken Salad
Mrs. Stratton's Salads Inc.
100/100
Dark meat chicken in water.
Unknown
100/100
Del pino's, spaghetti & meatballs
Del Pino's
95/100
Healthy Choice, Lunch Express, Sesame Teriyaki
Healthy choice
95/100
Healthy Choice, Lunch Express, Sweet & Sour
Healthy choice
100/100
laura lynn smooth chicken salad
Unknown
100/100
Libby's, spaghetti & meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Mini ABC's & 123's with meatballs
Chef Boyardee
95/100
Mini beef ravioli & meatballs
Chef Boyardee
95/100
Mini pasta shells & meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Mini pasta shells & meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Mini spaghetti and meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Mini spaghetti rings & meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Minibites abcs s pasta with meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Weis Quality
95/100
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Chef Boyardee
95/100
Spaghetti & Meatballs In Tomato Sauce
Shoprite
95/100
Spaghetti Rings & Meatballs
Iga
95/100
Spaghetti Rings & Mini Meatballs
Food Lion
95/100
Spaghetti rings and meatballs cup
Unknown
95/100
Spaghetti Rings With Meatballs
Signature Kitchens
100/100
Tuscan Style Penne
Healthy choice
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dark Chicken safe to eat?

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

What products contain Dark Chicken?

Dark Chicken is found in 35 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Dark Chicken do in food?

Dark Chicken 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.