CHICKEN IN SWEET BBQ SAUCE

by Lean cuisine

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

CHICKEN IN SWEET BBQ SAUCE by Lean cuisine 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
0013800318404
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 package (241 g)

What the Data Says About

CHICKEN IN SWEET BBQ SAUCE by Lean cuisine 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, CHICKEN IN SWEET BBQ SAUCE 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 CHICKEN IN SWEET BBQ SAUCE
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
Potatoes
2
Cooked Chicken
3
Skim Milk
4
Water
5
Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese
6
Pasteurized Part-skim Milk
7
Cheese Cultures
8
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
9
Enzymes
10
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
11
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
12
Tomato Concentrate
13
Organic Tomato Puree
14
Tomato Paste
15
Brown Sugar
16
Organic Onions
17
2% Or Less Of Soybean Oil
18
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
19
Apple Cider Vinegar
20
Modified Food Starch
21
Vinegar
22
Seasoning
23
Corn Starch
24
Potassium Chloride
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
25
Yeast Extract
26
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
27
Spice
28
Onion Powder
29
Garlic Powder
30
Paprika
31
Sour Cream
32
Sour Cream
33
Cultured Cream
34
Nonfat Milk
35
Onion
36
Molasses
37
Pineapple Juice Concentrate
38
Chili Powder
39
Spices
40
Honey
41
Soy Protein Isolate
42
Sodium Phosphate
43
Tamarind
44
Chives
45
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
46
Calcium Lactate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
47
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
48
Anchovy
49
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
50
Natural Flavor
51
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Potatoes, cooked chicken, skim milk, water, reduced fat cheddar cheese (pasteurized part-skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, annatto, vitamin a palmitate), tomato concentrate, tomato puree (water, tomato paste), brown sugar, onions, 2% or less of soybean oil, sugar, apple cider vinegar, modified food starch, vinegar, seasoning (modified corn starch, sugar, potassium chloride, yeast extract, dextrose, spice, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika), dried sour cream (sour cream [cultured cream, nonfat milk]), salt, dried onion, molasses, pineapple juice concentrate, chili powder, spices, honey, soy protein isolate, garlic powder, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, tamarind, dried chives, lactic acid, dextrose, calcium lactate, autolyzed yeast extract, anchovy, caramel color, flavor, garlic.

Categories

Frozen foods

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