Semi Sweet Chocolate

Semi Sweet Chocolate carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 141 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 — Semi Sweet Chocolate highlighted.

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

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Semi Sweet Chocolate141
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Semi Sweet Chocolate 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

Semi Sweet Chocolate currently appears in 141 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.

Semi Sweet Chocolate 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 Semi Sweet Chocolate 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 Semi Sweet Chocolate
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 141 products OpenFoodFacts

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

Products Containing

Showing 50 of 141 products

Artisan Caramel Assortment, Milk & Dark Chocolate
Sanders, Morley Candy Makers Inc.
100/100
Assortment gourmet cookie
Unknown
100/100
Balena Shortbread Cookies With Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate
Delish
100/100
Blake's
Unknown
100/100
Brownie Bites
Walmart
100/100
Captiva; Dark Chocolate
Pepperridge Farm
100/100
Cheesecake Squares
Suzy's
95/100
Chesapeake Dark Chocolate Pecan
Chesapeake, Pepperidge Farm
100/100
Chocolate Chip
Unknown
100/100
Chocolate chip cookies
Unknown
100/100
Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich
Thelma's
95/100
Chocolate Chip Nut-Free Protein + Energy Bar, Chocolate Chip
No nuts!
100/100
Chocolate Covered Raisins
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
100/100
Chocolate ganache lave cakes
Unknown
95/100
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Trader Joe's
95/100
Chocolate pecan cookie
Unknown
100/100
Chocolate raisins
Unknown
100/100
Classic cookie collection
Pepperidge Farm
95/100
Clover valley, cookies, chocolate chip
Clover Valley, Abimar Foods Inc.
100/100
Coconut Cookies Topped With Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate And Sprinkled With Coconut
De Good & Lish
100/100
Coconut flavored chocolate cookies
Unknown
100/100
Cookie dough
Mrs. Fields, Famous Brands International
0/100
Cookie dough chocolate
Unknown
95/100
Cookies
Family Gourmet
100/100
Cookies milano candy cane limited edition
Pepperidge Farm
100/100
Cookies, mint chocolate
Pepperidge Farm
100/100
Dark chocolate blueberry cashew caramel mini bites, dark chocolate blueberry cashew caramel
Unknown
100/100
Dark chocolate caramels with sea salt
Sam's Choice, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
100/100
Dark chocolate cherry egg
Unknown
70/100
Dark Chocolate Clusters
Sanders, Morley Candy Makers Inc.
100/100
Dark chocolate cookies
Pepperidge Farm
100/100
Dark chocolate covered caramels topped with sea salt, dark chocolate
Unknown
95/100
Dark Chocolate Expresso Beans, Dark Chocolate
Unknown
100/100
Dark Chocolate Fruit & Snack Dip
Sanders, Sanders Candy
95/100
Dark chocolate macadamia nuts
Unknown
100/100
Dark chocolate mini peppermint patties, dark chocolate
Unknown
100/100
Dark Chocolate Mini Sea Salt Caramel Hearts
Morley Candy Makers Inc.
100/100
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Trader Joe's
100/100
Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dark Chocolate
Unknown
100/100
Dark Chocolate Raisins, Dark Chocolate
Torn & glasser
100/100
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Sanders
100/100
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Sanders, Morley Candy Makers Inc.
100/100
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Sanders, Morley Candy Makers Inc.
100/100
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Sanders, Sanders Candy
100/100
Dark Chocolate Walmuts
Unknown
100/100
Dark chocolatecovered rasinis
Sprouts
100/100
Dessert Topping Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge
Sanders
95/100
Distinctive cookies, mint
Unknown
100/100
Double chocolate chip
Unknown
95/100
Double Chocolate Muffins
O'Doughs
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Semi Sweet Chocolate safe to eat?

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

What products contain Semi Sweet Chocolate?

Semi Sweet Chocolate is found in 141 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Semi Sweet Chocolate do in food?

Semi Sweet Chocolate 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.