Cheerios Protein Cinnamon Almond Cereal

by General Mills

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Cheerios Protein Cinnamon Almond Cereal by General Mills 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
0016000450677
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 1/4 cup (55 g) (55 g)

What the Data Says About

Cheerios Protein Cinnamon Almond Cereal by General Mills 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, Cheerios Protein Cinnamon Almond Cereal 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 Cheerios Protein Cinnamon Almond Cereal
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
Whole Grain Corn
2
Cluster
3
Whole Grain Oats
4
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
5
Soy Protein Isolate
6
Almonds
7
Soy Flour
8
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
9
Canola Oil
10
Wheat Flour
11
Graham Wheat Flour
12
Tapioca Starch
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
13
Molasses
14
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
Soy Lecithin
16
Honey
17
Baking Soda
18
Natural Flavor. Vitamin E
19
Mixed Tocopherols
20
And Oil Of Rosemary Added To Preserve Freshness
21
Canola
22
Rice Bran Oil
23
Refiner's Syrup
24
Cinnamon
25
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
26
Corn Bran
27
Trisodium Phosphate
28
L-lysine
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
29
And Bht Added To Preserve Freshness.vitamins And Minerals: Calcium Carbonate
30
Vitamin C
31
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
32
Zinc And Iron
33
Mineral Nutrients
34
A B Vitamin
35
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Vitamin B6
37
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
38
Vitamin B2
39
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
40
Vitamin B1
41
Thiamin Mononitrate
42
Vitamin A
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
43
Palmitate
44
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
45
Vitamin B12
46
Vitamin D3

Full Ingredient List

Whole grain corn, cluster (whole grain oats, sugar, soy protein isolate, almonds, soy flour, corn syrup, canola oil, wheat flour, graham wheat flour, tapioca starch, molasses, salt, soy lecithin, honey, baking soda, natural flavor. vitamin e (mixed tocopherols) and oil of rosemary added to preserve freshness.), sugar, whole grain oats, canola and/or rice bran oil, refiner's syrup, cinnamon, salt, caramel color, corn bran, trisodium phosphate, l-lysine, natural flavor. vitamin e (mixed tocopherols) and bht added to preserve freshness.vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, vitamin c (sodium ascorbate), zinc and iron (mineral nutrients), a b vitamin (niacinamide), vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b1 (thiamin mononitrate), vitamin a (palmitate), a b vitamin (folic acid), vitamin b12, vitamin d3.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Cereals and potatoes Cereals and their products

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