Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 36 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 — Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese36
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack 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

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese currently appears in 36 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.

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack 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 Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack 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 Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 36 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 36 of 36 products

Bacon & Cheese Egg Bites
Prep Chef
75/100
Beef fiesta taco bowl ground beef with green & red bell peppers, onions and monterey jack cheese
Atkins
95/100
boston market chicken bacon ranch
Unknown
80/100
Buffalo style smoked sausage
Unknown
85/100
Chicken & Cheese Burritos
Don Miguel
100/100
Chicken & Pasta With Green Chiles
Chili's
100/100
Chicken Bacon Ranch
Boston Market
80/100
Chicken Sausage
Johnsonville
85/100
Chili's, chicken tamales with rice
Chili's
100/100
Chipotle & Monterey Jack Bratwurst
Johnsonville
70/100
Country roll with ham, egg & monterey jack
Unknown
85/100
Flaky croissant with sausage, egg & monterey jack
Unknown
50/100
Flautas for breakfast
H-E-B
100/100
Golden & crispy 3 amigos grilled melts cheese sandwich
Unknown
90/100
Ham & cheese omelet
Atkins low carb living
85/100
Ham And Cheese Omelet
Aunt Jemima
80/100
Hatch chile macaroni & cheese
Unknown
95/100
Hatch Green Chile Macaroni & Cheese
Reser's Fine Foods Inc.
95/100
Honey Habanero Chicken Sausage With Monterey Jack Cheese
Daily Chef
100/100
Irish nachos
Unknown
30/100
Jerk Style Smoked Sausage
Farmington
85/100
Jimmy dean, cheese lovers fully cooked pork sausage patties
Unknown
100/100
Macaroni & cheese, macaroni in a creamy cheese sauce with green hatch chiles
Unknown
95/100
Marie callender's, country roll with ham, egg & montery jack
Unknown
85/100
Mexican-style chicken & vegetables grilled white meat chicken with bell peppers, onions and a blend of two cheeses in a enchilada sauce
Atkins Nutritionals Inc.
100/100
Oscar Mayer, Spicy Monterey Jake Beef
Oscar mayer
100/100
Pepper jack mac 'n' cheese rotini pasta in a cheese sauce, pepper jack
Chili's
100/100
Pork verde
Unknown
100/100
Premium pub-style angus beef patties
Stockman & Dakota
100/100
Scalloped potatoes, sliced russet potatoes blended with a creamy white cheese sauce
Unknown
100/100
Southwestern Style Bites
Chili's
100/100
Stouffer's, classics southwest-style chicken panini
Unknown
85/100
Sweet & smoky pork grilled cheese, sweet & smoky pork
Unknown
95/100
Taco Seasoned Beef & Cheese Taquitos
El Monterey
100/100
Turkey burgers
Jennie-O, Jennie-O Turkey Store Inc.
100/100
turkey with cheddar sausage
Kirkwood
85/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese safe to eat?

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese?

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese is found in 36 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese do in food?

Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack 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.