Sweet & spicy korean-style bbq sauce & savory meatballs

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Sweet & spicy korean-style bbq sauce & savory meatballs receives a safety score of 95/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient 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
0013800188465
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
3 MEATBALLS & SAUCE (85 g)

What the Data Says About

Sweet & spicy korean-style bbq sauce & savory meatballs 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.

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, Sweet & spicy korean-style bbq sauce & savory meatballs 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 C 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

Composite safety metrics for Sweet & spicy korean-style bbq sauce & savory meatballs
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 C OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Sauce: Water
2
Brown Sugar
3
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
4
Water
5
Wheat
6
Soybeans
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Carrots
9
Dried Red Bell Peppers
10
Rice Wine Vinegar
11
Organic Apple Juice Concentrate
12
Onion Puree
13
Roasted Garlic Puree
14
Rice Starch
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Listed
15
Sriracha Sauce
16
Chili Peppers
17
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
18
Vinegar
19
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
20
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
21
Beet Powder
22
Natural Flavor
23
Toasted Sesame Seeds
24
Sesame Oil
25
Dried Red Bell Peppers
26
Spices
27
Xanthan Gum. Meatballs: Cooked Beef
28
Cooked Pork
29
Soy Protein Concentrate
30
Organic Rolled Oats
31
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
32
Organic Onions
33
Soy Sauce Powder
34
Natural Flavors
35
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
36
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
37
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
38
Soybean Oil
39
Onion Powder
40
Dried Beef Stock
41
Cultured Whey
42
Enzyme Modified Cream
43
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
44
Natural Flavors

Full Ingredient List

Sauce: water, brown sugar, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt), carrots, red bell peppers, rice wine vinegar, apple juice concentrate, onion puree, roasted garlic puree, modified rice starch, sriracha sauce (chili peppers, sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic, xanthan gum, beet powder, natural flavor), toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, dried red bell peppers, spices, xanthan gum. meatballs: cooked beef, cooked pork, water, soy protein concentrate, rolled oats, modified cornstarch, dried onions, salt, soy sauce powder (soybeans, salt, wheat), flavors, maltodextrin, caramel color, dried garlic, spices, soybean oil, onion powder, beef stock, sugar, cultured whey, enzyme modified cream, lactic acid, natural flavors.

Categories

Meats and their products Frozen foods Meats Frozen meats

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