Snack Mix, Cheddar

by Chex mix

25
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Snack Mix, Cheddar by Chex 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
0016000451070
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.5 cup (30 g)

What the Data Says About

Snack Mix, Cheddar by Chex 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, Snack Mix, Cheddar 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 Snack Mix, Cheddar
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
The Following: Canola
13
Soybean
14
Rice Bran
15
Or Sunflower
16
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
17
Whey Powder
18
Corn Syrup Solids
19
Or Less Of: Salt
20
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
21
Sour Cream
22
Cream
23
Nonfat Milk
24
Cultures
25
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
26
Natural And Artificial Flavor
27
Malt Syrup
28
Baking Soda
29
Yeast
30
Annatto Extract Color
31
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
32
Distilled Monoglycerides
33
Margarine
34
Water
35
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
36
Mono And Diglycerides
37
Soy Lecithin
38
Artificial Flavor
39
Colored With Beta-carotene
40
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
41
Onion Powder
42
Trisodium Phosphate
43
Yellow Corn Flour
44
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
45
Cheddar Cheese
46
Milk
47
Cheese Cultures
48
Enzymes
49
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
50
Cheddar Cheese Powder
51
Disodium Phosphate
52
Monocalcium Phosphate
53
Sour Cream Solids
54
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
55
Cultured Nonfat Dry Milk Solids
56
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
57
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
58
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
59
Freshness Preserved By Bht And Sodium Metabisulfite
60
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
61
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
62
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
63
Spice

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 (Contains One Or More Of The Following: Canola, Soybean, Rice Bran, Or Sunflower), Sugar, Whey Powder, Corn Syrup Solids. Contains 2% Or Less Of: Salt, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sour Cream (Cream, Nonfat Milk, Cultures), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Malt Syrup, Baking Soda, Yeast, Annatto Extract Color, Whey, Distilled Monoglycerides, Margarine (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Whey, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavor, Colored With Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Palmitate), Onion Powder, Trisodium Phosphate, Yellow Corn Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Soy Lecithin, Dried Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Cheddar Cheese Powder (Milk, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Enzymes, Disodium Phosphate), Monocalcium Phosphate, Sour Cream Solids (Sour Cream [Cream, Cultures, Lactic Acid], Cultured Nonfat Dry Milk Solids, Citric Acid), Maltodextrin, Yellow 5 Lake, Freshness Preserved By Bht And Sodium Metabisulfite, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5, Disodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Spice.

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