Southwest macaroni salad
Scores 95/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.
The verdict
Southwest macaroni salad scores 95/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 62 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.
- 95/100
- Safe safety score
- 1
- flagged ingredient of 62 analyzed
- Group 4
- Ultra-processed
- D
- Nutri-Score nutrition grade
Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.
What the Data Says About Southwest macaroni salad
Southwest macaroni salad carries a composite safety score of 95/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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. This score is a transparent derived index we compute from that public data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement; see the Methodology page for the exact weighting.
Our scan identified 1 flagged ingredient 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, Southwest macaroni salad 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. The Nutri-Score grade of D reflects nutritional balance, calories, saturated fat, sugar, sodium versus fiber, protein, and produce content, which again is a distinct dimension from additive safety and worth weighing alongside the scores above.
Safety Profile at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 95/100 | FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite |
| Flagged ingredients | 1 | CSPI/FDA review |
| NOVA processing group | Group 4 | OpenFoodFacts |
| Nutri-Score | D | OpenFoodFacts |
Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.
How It Compares to Its Category
Among the 19,967 products we've scored in the Meals category, the average safety score is 95.1/100. Southwest macaroni salad scores 0.1 points below that category average (95/100 vs. 95.1/100), so it is roughly typical for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.
Ingredient Safety Analysis
Full Ingredient List
Cooked enriched elbow macaroni (durum wheat semolina, ferrous sulfate [iron], niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), non-fat milk (non-fat milk, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d3), mayonnaise (soybean oil, corn syrup, water, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, contains less than 2% of: salt, spice, citric acid, calcium disodium edta added to protect flavor), fire grilled corn, black beans (black beans, water, salt, calcium chloride, ferrous gluconate), shredded cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, annatto [natural vegetable color], cellulose powder added to prevent caking), buttermilk (cultured skim milk, nonfat dry milk, cream, salt, modified corn starch, mono and diglycerides, carrageenan, locust bean gum, natural flavor, vitamin a palmitate and vitamin d3), red bell pepper, roasted red pepper (red peppers, water, salt, citric acid, calcium chloride), yellow onion, green onion, evaporated salt, lime juice, cilantro, water, spices, chili peppers (pepper, dehydrated capsicum, ethoxyquin [color], silicon dioxide [anticaking agent]), sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate added to protect flavor, garlic powder, onion powder, xanthan gum.
Categories
Data Sources
Data as of May 2026. 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
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Product figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, and CSPI Chemical Cuisine data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.