Chex Mix Hot 'N Spicy Snack Mix

25
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Chex Mix Hot 'N Spicy Snack Mix receives a safety score of 25/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 3 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
0016000126091
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1/2 cup (28 g) (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Chex Mix Hot 'N Spicy Snack Mix carries a composite safety score of 25/100, which we classify as "Avoid" 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 3 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, Chex Mix Hot 'N Spicy Snack Mix 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

Composite safety metrics for Chex Mix Hot 'N Spicy Snack Mix
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 25/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 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.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Enriched Flour
2
Wheat Flour
3
Malted Barley Flour
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Iron
6
Thiamin Mononitrate
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
9
Degermed Yellow Corn Meal
10
Whole Wheat
11
Vegetable Oil
12
Soybean
13
Organic Sunflower
14
Canola
15
Rice Bran
16
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
17
Or Less Of: Maltodextrin
18
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
19
Whey Powder
20
Natural Flavor
21
Spices
22
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
23
Yeast Extract
24
Cheddar Cheese
25
Milk
26
Cheese Cultures
27
Enzymes
28
Color
29
Annatto Extract
30
Paprika Extract
31
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
32
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
33
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
And Yellow 6 Lake
35
Yeast
36
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
37
Baking Soda
38
Garlic Powder
39
Barley Malt Syrup
40
Organic Butter Concentrate
41
Cream
42
Distilled Monoglycerides
43
Onion Powder
44
Trisodium Phosphate
45
Yellow Corn Flour
46
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
47
Wheat
48
Soybeans
49
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
50
Corn Syrup Solids
51
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
52
Disodium Phosphate
53
Sour Cream Solids
54
Sour Cream
55
Cultures
56
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
57
Cultured Nonfat Dry Milk Solids
58
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
59
Monocalcium Phosphate
60
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
61
Citric Acid. Freshness Preserved By Sodium Metabisulfite And Bht

Full Ingredient List

Enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), degermed yellow corn meal, whole wheat, vegetable oil (soybean, sunflower, canola, and/or rice bran), sugar. contains 2% or less of: maltodextrin, salt, whey powder, natural flavor, spices, high fructose corn syrup, yeast extract, dried cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), color (annatto extract, paprika extract, yellow 5, yellow 6, yellow 5 lake, and yellow 6 lake), yeast, dextrose, baking soda, garlic powder, barley malt syrup, butter concentrate (cream, salt, natural flavor), distilled monoglycerides, onion powder, trisodium phosphate, yellow corn flour, soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt), calcium carbonate, corn syrup solids, sodium acid pyrophosphate, dried cheddar cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes, disodium phosphate), sour cream solids (sour cream [cream, cultures, lactic acid], cultured nonfat dry milk solids, citric acid), monocalcium phosphate, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium phosphate, lactic acid, citric acid. freshness preserved by sodium metabisulfite and bht.

Categories

Snacks

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