Dark Chocolate Pieces

Dark Chocolate Pieces carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 28 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 Chocolate Pieces highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Dark Chocolate Pieces28
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Dark Chocolate Pieces 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 Chocolate Pieces currently appears in 28 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 Chocolate Pieces 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 Chocolate Pieces 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 Chocolate Pieces
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 28 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 28 of 28 products

Almonds dark chocolate cashews
Southern Grove
100/100
Almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, goji berries, salt
Unknown
100/100
Blended greek yogurt
Unknown
100/100
CHOC CHIP MUFFIN
THE PROTEIN BALL CO.
100/100
Chocolate almond cherry trail mix, chocolate almond cherry
Unknown
100/100
Crunchy Granola Bars
Nature valley
100/100
Dried pineapple, dark chocolate
Unknown
100/100
Granola Crunchy Oats & Dark Chocolate
Nature Valley
100/100
Jerky trail mix with cherries & walnuts
Unknown
95/100
Nat vly crnchy gran bars dark choc pnt btr
Unknown
100/100
Nature valley
Nature Valley
100/100
Nature Valley Crunchy Oats 'N Dark Chocolate
Nature Valley
100/100
Nature Valley Crunchy Variety Pack
Nature Valley
100/100
Nonfat yogurt & toppings
Dannon, The Dannon Company Inc.
95/100
Nonfat yogurt & toppings
Dannon, The Dannon Company Inc.
70/100
Nonfat yogurt & toppings, vanilla with cookie pieces & dark chocolate
Dannon, The Dannon Company Inc.
70/100
Oats 'N Dark Chocolate Granola Bars
Nature's Valley
100/100
Original beef jerky trail mix, original beef
Unknown
95/100
Premium Granola
Schnucks
100/100
Retreat Trail Mix
Southern Grove
100/100
Spicy sweet beef a delicious combination of beef jerky, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and dark chocolate pieces trail mix, spicy sweet beef
Unknown
95/100
Teriyaki chicken
Unknown
95/100
Toasted almonds, dark chocolate, toasted coconut, salt
Unknown
100/100
Trail Mix
Southern Grove, Aldi-Benner Company
100/100
Trail mix
Unknown
90/100
Trail mix with original beef jerky
Unknown
95/100
Trail mix with original beef jerky
Unknown
95/100
Trail mix with peppered turkey jerky, trail mix
Unknown
95/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dark Chocolate Pieces safe to eat?

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

What products contain Dark Chocolate Pieces?

Dark Chocolate Pieces is found in 28 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Dark Chocolate Pieces do in food?

Dark Chocolate Pieces 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.