Potato Sticks

Potato Sticks carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 25 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 — Potato Sticks highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Potato Sticks25
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Potato Sticks 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

Potato Sticks currently appears in 25 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.

Potato Sticks 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 Potato Sticks 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 Potato Sticks
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 25 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 25 of 25 products

Avocado slices in an ancho chile flavored crispy coating
Unknown
100/100
Breaded Cheddar Bacon Encrusted Shrimp
Roundy's
100/100
Clear Springs Foods, Crunchy Potato Crusted Mahi Mahi Fillets
Clear Springs Foods Inc.
100/100
Crunchy Potato Twigs, Potato Snacks
Bickel's Snack Foods Inc.
100/100
Fisherman's Reserve Cheddar Bacon Encrusted Flounder
Roundy's
100/100
Hash brown flavored shaped chicken breast pattie fritters with rib meat fully cooked chicken nuggets, hash brown
Tyson
100/100
Honey BBQ Smart Fries
Gourmet Basics
100/100
Jubilee Mix - Spicy Wholesome Trail Snack
Zouq Foods International Ltd.
100/100
Potato crusted coated fish nuggets
Unknown
100/100
potato sticks
Unknown
100/100
Sea salt potato sticks
Unknown
100/100
Smart Fries - Classic Sea Salt
Gourmet Basics
100/100
Smart Fries - Classic Sea Salt
The Smart Gourmet Snack Co, Gourmet Basics
100/100
Smart Fries - Classic Sea Salt
Gourmet Basics
100/100
Smart Fries Air Popped Potato Sticks
The Smart Gourmet Snack Co
100/100
Smart Fries Air Popped Potato Sticks
The Smart Gourmet Snack Co
100/100
Smart Fries Air Popped Potato Sticks
The Smart Gourmet Snack Co
100/100
Smart fries honey bbq
Gourmet Basics
100/100
Smart Fries, Air Popped Potato Sticks, Aged White Cheddar
Snack Innovations Inc.
100/100
Spicy ketchup flavored potato sticks, spicy ketchup
Unknown
100/100
Sweet Jalapeno Smart Fries
The Smart Gourmet Snack Co, Gourmet Basics
100/100
Veggie sticks
Nature's Place, Delhaize America Inc.
100/100
Wild caught potato crusted cod
Unknown
100/100
Zouq, fiery sticks
Zouq
100/100
Zouq, Jubilee Mix
Funtastik Inc.
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Potato Sticks safe to eat?

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

What products contain Potato Sticks?

Potato Sticks is found in 25 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Potato Sticks do in food?

Potato Sticks 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.