Methodology & Data Sources

Overview

PlainFoodSafe provides ingredient-level safety analysis for over 859,000 food products sold in the United States. We combine the additive regulatory status published in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) inventory, the independent additive safety ratings in the Center for Science in the Public Interest's Chemical Cuisine database, US state-level additive restrictions on the public record, including California's OEHHA Proposition 65 and AB 418 Food Safety Act listings, and community-contributed product data from Open Food Facts to generate transparent, reproducible safety scores.

Our goal is to make complex food-additive data accessible to consumers, journalists, researchers, and public health professionals. Every data point on this site is traceable to its original source, the FDA SAFFA additive inventory, the CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, state additive-restriction records, and the Open Food Facts product catalogue, and our scoring methodology is fully documented below.

Primary Data Sources

PlainFoodSafe integrates data from three authoritative, publicly available sources:

Supplementary Data Sources

Data Processing Pipeline

Raw data from each source is processed through a structured ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) pipeline to produce the final safety analysis database:

1. Extract - Download the latest data exports from OpenFoodFacts (CSV), FDA SAFFA (structured download), and CSPI Chemical Cuisine (structured data). State regulation data is compiled from official legislative sources.
2. Normalize ingredients - Parse ingredient text from product labels. Standardize ingredient names to match across all three databases (e.g., "FD&C Red No. 40" = "Red 40" = "Allura Red AC").
3. Cross-reference - Match each normalized ingredient against the FDA SAFFA inventory (regulatory status, technical effect) and CSPI Chemical Cuisine (safety rating, documented concerns).
4. Flag ingredients - Identify the 26 ingredients flagged for documented safety concerns based on FDA enforcement actions, state bans, CSPI "Avoid" or "Certain People Should Avoid" ratings, and substances prohibited in the EU or other jurisdictions.
5. Compute scores - Calculate the product safety score (0-100) using the weighted algorithm described below.
6. Quality checks - Validate output: verify ingredient match rates, check for parsing anomalies, confirm score distributions fall within expected ranges.
7. Publish - Deploy the processed database to serve the PlainFoodSafe website.

Safety Score Algorithm

Each product receives a safety score from 0 to 100. The score is calculated by cross-referencing each ingredient against the FDA SAFFA and CSPI databases using a transparent, deterministic formula:

1. Parse each product's ingredient list from the OpenFoodFacts label data
2. Look up each ingredient in the FDA SAFFA database to determine regulatory status (GRAS, Approved, Listed, or Prohibited)
3. Cross-reference each ingredient with CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings (Safe, Caution, Cut Back, Certain People Should Avoid, Avoid)
4. Check for presence of any of the 26 flagged ingredients (synthetic dyes, controversial preservatives, substances banned in other countries)
5. Compute a weighted deduction: prohibited or "Avoid"-rated ingredients receive higher penalty weight; "Caution" or "Cut Back" receive lower weight
6. A product with no flagged or concerning ingredients scores 100; each concern reduces the score proportionally

Flagged Ingredients

We flag 26 ingredients based on converging evidence from multiple sources:

• FDA enforcement actions - Ingredients with revoked authorization (e.g., Red 3, banned January 2025) or pending phase-outs (6 synthetic dyes by October 2027)
• State-level bans - Substances prohibited by state legislation, including the California Food Safety Act (AB 418) banning Red 3, Potassium Bromate, Brominated Vegetable Oil, and Propylparaben
• CSPI "Avoid" ratings - Additives rated "Avoid" or "Certain People Should Avoid" based on peer-reviewed toxicological evidence
• International bans - Substances banned in the European Union, Canada, or other jurisdictions with relevance to US consumers

The full list includes synthetic food dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3), certain preservatives (BHA, BHT, TBHQ), and other substances with documented health concerns. See our ingredient database for detailed profiles on each flagged additive.

Data Currency & Update Schedule

We update our database on a regular schedule to ensure data freshness:

Editorial Standards

PlainFoodSafe follows strict editorial principles to ensure accuracy and trust:

• Source transparency - Every data point is traceable to its original source. We cite official databases and link to primary sources wherever possible.
• Algorithmic consistency - Safety scores are computed using the same deterministic algorithm for every product. No manual adjustments, no editorial overrides.
• No industry influence - PlainFoodSafe does not accept sponsorships, partnerships, or payments from food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, or food industry trade groups.
• Correction policy - We promptly correct errors when identified. Data corrections can be reported at hello@plainfoodsafe.com.
• Regulatory accuracy - FDA statuses and state regulations are updated to reflect current law. Historical regulatory changes are noted where relevant.

Limitations & Caveats

• Safety scores are algorithmic assessments based on available regulatory and scientific data, not a comprehensive toxicological review of each product
• Ingredient lists in OpenFoodFacts are community-contributed and may not reflect current product formulations; manufacturers reformulate products regularly
• Scores do not account for individual allergies, food sensitivities, medication interactions, or specific dietary needs
• GRAS status means an ingredient is generally recognized as safe at normal consumption levels, not that it carries zero risk in all contexts
• Ingredient matching between product labels and safety databases is automated; some ingredients may not match due to naming variations
• Absence of a flag does not guarantee safety, only that the ingredient is not on our 26-ingredient watch list

Questions About Our Methodology

Questions, corrections, or feedback about our data sources or methodology? Email us at hello@plainfoodsafe.com or visit our contact page.