Concern

Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite

by Kraft

Scores 50/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 2 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0021000775217 · Serving size 2 Tbsp (31 g)

The verdict

Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite by Kraft scores 50/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 31 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

50/100
Concern safety score
2
flagged ingredients of 31 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
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 Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite

Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite by Kraft carries a composite safety score of 50/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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 2 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, Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite 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 E 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 Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 50/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 35,367 products we've scored in the Condiments category, the average safety score is 98.6/100. Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite scores 48.6 points below that category average (50/100 vs. 98.6/100), 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
Water
2
Soybean Oil
3
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
4
Vinegar
5
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Romano And Parmesan Cheeses Made From Cow's Milk
8
Part-skim Milk
9
Cheese Culture
10
Enzymes
11
Modified Food Starch
12
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
13
Cheddar Cheese
14
Milk
15
Phosphoric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
Cut Back GRAS
16
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
17
Natural Flavor
18
Msg
19
Buttermilk*
20
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
21
Garlic*
22
Spice
23
Sodium Phosphate
24
Onions*
25
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
26
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
27
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
28
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
29
Color
30
Potassium Sorbate And Calcium Disodium Edta
31
To Protect Flavor

Full Ingredient List

Water, Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Romano And Parmesan Cheeses Made From Cow'S Milk (Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Modified Food Starch, Whey, Contains Less Than 2% Of Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Phosphoric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Monosodium Glutamate, Buttermilk*, Polysorbate 60, Garlic*, Spice, Sodium Phosphate, Onions*, Lactic Acid, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Annatto (Color), Potassium Sorbate And Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Flavor)

Categories

Condiments Sauces

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.