Ingredient Safety Ratings

According to data current to September 2026, PlainFoodSafe lists 24 food ingredients with Center for Science in the Public Interest Chemical Cuisine ratings and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Substances Added to Food status, based on Open Food Facts product labels documented in our methodology.

24 ingredients with CSPI safety ratings filtered to “Avoid”

Each row links a normalized ingredient name to its CSPI Chemical Cuisine rating and FDA Substances Added to Food status, plus how many indexed products list that ingredient. The 24 count is the current filtered set for “Avoid”. Ratings summarize published source classifications; they are not allergy diagnoses or medical guidance.

24 Avoid rows
CSPI Chemical Cuisine
FDA SAFFA status

All (24) Safe Caution Cut Back Certain People Should Avoid Avoid

Ingredient	CSPI Rating	FDA Status	Products
Acesulfame Potassium NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER	Avoid	Approved	7,386
Aloe vera Flavoring	Avoid	N/A	64
Aspartame FLAVOR ENHANCER, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER	Avoid	Approved	3,611
Azodicarbonamide DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT	Avoid	Approved	713
BHA	Avoid	GRAS	2,913
Blue 2	Avoid	Approved (certified color)	3,627
Brominated Vegetable Oil Emulsifier	Avoid	Banned (FDA revoked 2024)	535
Caramel Coloring Coloring	Avoid	Approved (color additive, GRAS)	23,161
Ginkgo biloba Other	Avoid	N/A	7
Olestra	Avoid	Approved	2
Potassium Bromate DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT	Avoid	Approved	422
Potassium Iodate DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT	Avoid	GRAS	949
Propyl Gallate ANTIOXIDANT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT	Avoid	GRAS	736
Red 3	Avoid	FDA food listing remains in effect until Jan 15, 2027; revocation scheduled	4,654
Red 40	Avoid	Approved (certified color)	22,216
Saccharin NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER	Avoid	Approved	120
Sodium Nitrate ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT	Avoid	Prior Sanctioned	791
Sodium Nitrite ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT	Avoid	Prior Sanctioned	9,702
Sucralose NUTRITIVE SWEETENER	Avoid	Approved	10,913
TBHQ Preservative	Avoid	Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)	2,019
Titanium Dioxide ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER	Avoid	Prior Sanctioned	8,542
Trans Fat Other	Avoid	Banned (FDA, 2018)	152
Yellow 5	Avoid	Approved (certified color)	19,566
Yellow 6	Avoid	Approved (certified color)	13,787

Download these 24 ingredient rows (CSV) 24 rows PlainFoodSafe selection: CC BY 4.0. Underlying Open Food Facts data: ODbL 1.0.

What to do with these ingredient ratings

Start with a source-backed ingredient record, then compare the product-label context that gives the rating its limits.

Use the rating filters to narrow the catalog to the source classification you want to examine. View Caution-rated ingredients
Open an ingredient record to see its FDA status, product footprint, and linked product examples. Browse product records
Check the source and coverage rules before treating a category label as dietary or medical guidance. Read the methodology

Ratings summarize published source classifications and catalog coverage; they are not product, allergy, or medical advice.

Compiled by PlainFoodSafe