Caution

Garlic Chick’n

by Birds Eye

Scores 85/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.

Barcode 0014500019547 · Serving size 1 3/4 cup (175 g)

The verdict

Garlic Chick’n by Birds Eye scores 85/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 44 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.

85/100
Caution safety score
1
flagged ingredient of 44 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
B
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 Garlic Chick’n

Garlic Chick’n by Birds Eye carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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. 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, Garlic Chick’n 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 B 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 Garlic Chick’n
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score B OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 25,915 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 93.3/100. Garlic Chick’n scores 8.3 points below that category average (85/100 vs. 93.3/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Dehydrated Vegetables
2
Broccoli
3
Carrots
4
Corn
5
Cooked Enriched Pasta
6
Water
7
Enriched Durum Wheat Semolina
8
Semolina
9
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
11
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
12
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
13
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
14
Sauce
15
Garlic Seasoning
16
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
17
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
18
Garlic Powder
19
Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour {Bleached Wheat Flour
20
Reduced Iron
21
Folic Acid}
22
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
23
Safflower Oil
24
Dehydrated Parsley
25
Yeast Extract
26
Spices
27
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
28
Natural Flavors
29
Horseradish Powder
30
Grill Flavor {From Sunflower Oil}
31
Extractives Of Annatto And Turmeric {Color}
32
Soybean Oil
33
Corn Starch
34
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
35
Gardein Plant-based Chick'n Pieces
36
Soy Protein Isolate
37
Vital Wheat Gluten
38
Canola Oil
39
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
40
Color
41
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
42
Pea Protein
43
Onion Powder
44
Turmeric Extractives

Full Ingredient List

Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, corn), cooked enriched pasta (water, enriched durum wheat semolina (semolina, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)), sauce (water, garlic seasoning [whey, salt, garlic powder, enriched bleached wheat flour {bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid}, sugar, safflower oil, dehydrated parsley, yeast extract, spices, lactic acid, natural flavors, horseradish powder, grill flavor {from sunflower oil}, extractives of annatto and turmeric {color}], soybean oil, corn starch, garlic powder, xanthan gum), gardein plant-based chick'n pieces (water, soy protein isolate, vital wheat gluten, natural flavors, yeast extract, sugar, canola oil, titanium dioxide (color), sea salt, pea protein, onion powder, turmeric extractives).

Categories

Frozen foods

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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

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.