Pasteurized Processed American Cheese

Pasteurized Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Processed American 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 Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast
Family Farms Market
85/100
Baked Potato With Cheddar & Bacon
Weis
85/100
Baked Potato With Cheddar & Bacon Bites
Kaskey's
85/100
Baked potato with cheddar & bacon bits chunky soup, baked potato with cheddar & bacon bits
Unknown
85/100
Baked potato with cheddar & bacon bits chunky soup, baked potato with cheddar & bacon bits
Unknown
85/100
Baked potato with cheddar and bacon bits
Winco Foods
85/100
Beef patties with american cheese & bacon
Unknown
85/100
Breakfast burrito
Unknown
95/100
Breakfast burrito
Unknown
85/100
Canadian Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches
Great Value
85/100
Cheddar Melt Blend
Essential Everyday
100/100
CHEESE DIP
GORDO'S
100/100
Cheese Franks
Eckrich
85/100
Cheese hot dogs
Unknown
85/100
Cheeseburger Slider
Global Performance Group
95/100
Cheeseburger Sliders
Great Value
100/100
Cheeseburger Sliders
Pick Five
95/100
Chicken broccoli cheese & potato chunky soup, chicken broccoli cheese & potato
Unknown
100/100
Chunky baked potato soup
Unknown
85/100
Chunky baked potato with cheddar & bacon bits soup
Unknown
85/100
Chunky baked potato with cheddar & bacon bits soup
Unknown
85/100
Chunky chicken broccoli cheese & potato soup
Best Choice
100/100
Fresh dip jalapeno queso, creamy & spicy
Unknown
100/100
Grilled Cheese
Aldi
100/100
Home Style Recipe
Gordo’s Queso Dip
100/100
Kaskey's, chunky baked potato with cheddar and bacon bits soup
Kaskey's
85/100
KID CUISINE Cheeseburger Meal, 7 OZ
Unknown
100/100
queso
Unknown
100/100
Sausage, egg & cheese croissant fully cooked sandwiches
Unknown
65/100
Smoky & Spicy Fresh Dip Queso Con Carne, Smoky & Spicy
Lunds & byerlys
100/100
Soup
Spartan
100/100
Stan's Pimento Cheese
Unknown
100/100
Supreme pimento cheese
Unknown
100/100
Supreme pimento cheese with jalapenos
Unknown
75/100
Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwich
Great Value
100/100
Yellow Queso Dip, Mild
Gordo's
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pasteurized Processed American Cheese safe to eat?

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

What products contain Pasteurized Processed American Cheese?

Pasteurized Processed American Cheese is found in 36 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Pasteurized Processed American Cheese do in food?

Pasteurized Processed American 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.