Meal replacement shakes

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Meal replacement shakes receives a safety score of 80/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 ingredients that have been flagged for potential safety concerns by regulatory or consumer advocacy databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.

Barcode
0008346750023
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
11 OZA (325 ml)

What the Data Says About

Meal replacement shakes carries a composite safety score of 80/100, which we classify as "Caution" on our four-tier shelf-label framework. The score is computed by mapping each labeled ingredient against FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status and CSPI Chemical Cuisine classifications, then penalizing the overall product for each additive rated as caution-or-worse. Product data originates from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative catalog; safety annotations come from federal regulators and the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Our scan identified 2 flagged ingredients in this product — components that at least one official source has classified as requiring caution, targeted avoidance, or further evaluation. Flagged ingredients are the items most likely to surface in FDA inspection findings, state-level ingredient bans, or outbreak-related recall notices, so the per-ingredient breakdown below is the most useful lens for anyone screening this product for a specific dietary concern.

On the NOVA processing scale, Meal replacement shakes is classified as Group 4 (Ultra-processed). NOVA measures industrial processing intensity rather than ingredient-level safety, so it complements the SAFFA and CSPI ratings: a product can be clean on additive flags but heavily processed, or lightly processed but carry individually flagged ingredients. Combining both lenses gives a fuller picture than either alone.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Meal replacement shakes
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 80/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score Not available OpenFoodFacts

Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water
2
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
3
Milk Protein Concentrate
4
Canola Oil
5
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
6
Cellulose Gel
7
Natural And Artificial Flavor
8
Potassium Phosphate Mono And Diglycerides
9
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
10
Soylecithin
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
13
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
14
Sodium Citrate
15
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
16
Fd & C Yellow 5
17
Fd&c Yellow 6. Vitamins And Minerals: Magnesium Phosphate
18
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
19
Calcium Phosphate
20
Vitamin E Acetate
21
Zinc Gluconate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Ferric Orthophosphate
23
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
25
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
27
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
29
Riboflavin Chromiumchloride
30
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
31
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
32
Sodium Molybdate
33
Potassium Iodide
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, TRACER
GRAS
34
Phylloquinone
35
Sodium Selenite
36
Cyanocobalamin
37
Cholecalcferol

Full Ingredient List

Water, calcium caseinate, milk protein concentrate, canola oil, maltodextrin, cellulose gel, natural and artificial flavor, potassium phosphate mono and diglycerides, potassium citrate, soylecithin, salt, sucralose, carrageenan, sodium citrate, citric acid, fd & c yellow 5, fd&c yellow 6. vitamins and minerals: magnesium phosphate, sodium ascorbate, calcium phosphate, vitamin e acetate, zinc gluconate, ferric orthophosphate, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, vitamin a palmitate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin chromiumchloride, folic acid, biotin, sodium molybdate, potassium iodide, phylloquinone, sodium selenite, cyanocobalamin, cholecalcferol

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Product data from OpenFoodFacts (ODbL). Ingredient safety ratings from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details.

This information is for reference only and does not constitute dietary or medical advice.

Related

Data sourced from official FDA, USDA, and CDC food-safety databases. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe Editorial