Imported Parmesan Cheese

Imported Parmesan Cheese carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 41 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 — Imported Parmesan Cheese highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Imported Parmesan Cheese41
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Imported Parmesan 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

Imported Parmesan Cheese currently appears in 41 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.

Imported Parmesan 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 Imported Parmesan 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 Imported Parmesan Cheese
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 41 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 41 of 41 products

Alfredo Fresh Sauce
Haggen
100/100
Au gratin potatoes with real cheddar cheese, au gratin
Unknown
75/100
Baked Creamed Spinach
Kings
90/100
Baked Ziti
Papa John's Salads & Produce
70/100
Bonavita, grated imported parmesan cheese
Unknown
100/100
Caesar salad with dressing packet
Unknown
85/100
Caesar salad with grilled chicken breast
Unknown
80/100
Cheese Rolls, Original
Viva Natural
100/100
Cheese tortellini
Unknown
100/100
Chicken Alfredo With Broccoli
Michael Angelo's
100/100
Chicken caesar wrap
Unknown
100/100
Chicken meatballs
Unknown
100/100
Cucina Fresco, Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli
Cucina Fresco Inc.
100/100
Deep Dish Pizza
Unknown
100/100
Eggplant Ravioli
Perfect Pasta Inc.
100/100
Five Cheese Pizza Made With Cauliflower Crust
MIGHTYCRUST by H-E-B
100/100
Four cheese pizza
Unknown
100/100
Four cheese ravioli
Unknown
100/100
Italian Style Pasta, Tri Color Tortellini
Giant Eagle
90/100
Italian Style Pork Meatballs
La Bella Sausage
100/100
Italian style turkey meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Italian style turkey meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Italian style turkey meatballs, italian style turkey
Unknown
95/100
Kitchen, Cheese Lasagna
Shoprite
100/100
Kitchen, Classic Italian Style Meatballs With Marinara
Shoprite
100/100
Lasagna with meat sauce
Unknown
100/100
Meaty mostaccioli
Unknown
100/100
Medium pumpkin ravioli
Perfect Pasta Inc.
100/100
Mega cheese pizza
Unknown
100/100
Parmesan Cheese
Sorrento Cheese Co. Inc.
100/100
Perfect pasta, asparagus ravioli
Perfect Pasta
100/100
Ravioli
Unknown
100/100
Restaurant original chicken meatballs
Unknown
100/100
Shoprite, kitchen, classic italian style spaghetti with turkey meatballs
Shoprite
100/100
Shoprite, kitchen, penne a la vodka
Shoprite
90/100
Signature spreads salsa di parmigiano
Signature, Kowalski Companies Inc.
100/100
Spaghetti With Meat Sauce
Papa John's Salad & Produce
100/100
Spaghetti with turkey meatballs
Unknown
95/100
Spinach artichoke pizza, spinach artichoke
Shakespeare’s Pizza
100/100
Tortellini
Vince & Sons
100/100
White Chicken And Rice Casserole
Clover Valley
95/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Imported Parmesan Cheese safe to eat?

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

What products contain Imported Parmesan Cheese?

Imported Parmesan Cheese is found in 41 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Imported Parmesan Cheese do in food?

Imported Parmesan 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.