Protein Chewy Bar

by Cheetos

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Protein Chewy Bar by Cheetos 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
0016000352018
Nutri-Score
b
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
36g

What the Data Says About

Protein Chewy Bar by Cheetos 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, Protein Chewy Bar 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 Protein Chewy Bar
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 B OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Cereal
2
Whole Grain Oats
3
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
Corn Starch
5
Honey
6
Brown Sugar Syrup
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Tripotassium Phosphate
9
Canola
10
Sunflower Oil
11
Natural Almond Flavor
12
Vitamin E
13
Mixed Tocopherols
14
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
15
Vitamin C
16
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
17
Iron
18
Zinc
19
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
20
Vitamin B6
21
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Thiamin Mononitrate
23
Vitamin A
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Palmitate
25
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
27
Vitamin B12
28
Vitamin D3
29
Soy Protein Isolate
30
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
31
Chicory Root Extract
32
Vegetable Oil
33
Palm
34
Palm Kernel
35
Fructose
Sweetener
Cut Back
36
Vegetable Glycerin
37
Rice Starch
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Listed
38
Cranberry Fiber
39
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
40
Nonfat Milk
41
Soy Lecithin
42
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
43
Natural Flavor
44
Strawberry Juice Concentrate
45
Milk And Soy

Full Ingredient List

Cereal (whole grain oats, sugar, corn starch, honey, brown sugar syrup, salt, tripotassium phosphate, canola and/or sunflower oil, natural almond flavor), Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), calcium carbonate, vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), iron, zinc, niacinamide, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), thiamin mononitrate, vitamin A (palmitate), riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, soy protein isolate, corn syrup, chicory root extract, sugar, vegetable oil (canola, palm and/or palm kernel), fructose, vegetable glycerin, rice starch, cranberry fiber, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, carrageenan, natural flavor, strawberry juice concentrate. Contains milk and soy.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Bars Cereal bars

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