Concern

Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

by Velveeta

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0021000778690 · Velveeta · Plant-based foods and beverages. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0021000778690 · Serving size 0.5 cup (42 g)

The verdict

Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes by Velveeta scores 50/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 39 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 39-component record, beginning with Seasoned Potatoes, Potatoes, Modified Food Starch. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

50/100
Concern safety score
2
Few flagged · of 39 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
D
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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

38/100

Grade F

Ingredient Safety

50/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

D

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

00778690 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes label screening desk

SCORE-CONC 50/100 FLAG-FEW 2 flagged LEN-DENSE 39 ing. REG-SPARSE 26% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-D Nutri-D RANK-SHORT Len top 3% LEAD-FLAG Yellow 6 PHOTO-FINISH Three Cheese Ranch · ±0 BOOK-OFF …778690 · July 2026

10 of 39 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Yellow 6). Source sheet 00778690 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite · Nearest score peer is Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

This label lands in the third of four positions on the published scale. What separates that position from its neighbours is arithmetic rather than judgement: identical inputs run through the documented weighting always arrive at the same place. Anyone who works the calculation through by hand, using the methodology write-up together with the itemised ratings further down, will reproduce this number exactly — which is the reason for publishing a computed figure instead of an opinion.

This label falls in the fourth Nutri-Score band. The model arrives there when its penalty terms — energy density, sugars, saturated fat, sodium — carry more weight in the calculation than the fibre, protein and produce content it credits. The band covers a wide span of the points scale, so position within it is not visible from the letter alone. The grade reflects the declared nutrition panel and is unrelated to the additive ratings listed below, which come from different bodies applying different criteria.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes: 50/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed P…50/1002. Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite: 50/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. Three Cheese Ranch Dressi…50/1003. Original Flavor Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, Original: 50/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. Original Flavor Macaroni …50/1004. Deluxe Sharp Cheddar: 50/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Deluxe Sharp Cheddar50/1005. Classic catalina dressing: 50/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Classic catalina dressing50/100
Nearest cross-brand screening scores for Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (50/100 on 39 parsed ingredients).
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
50/100
Three Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lite
50/100
Original Flavor Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, Original
50/100
Deluxe Sharp Cheddar
50/100
Classic catalina dressing
50/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 78,450 products we've scored in the Plant-based foods and beverages category, the average safety score is 97.7/100. Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes scores 47.7 points below that category average (50/100 vs. 97.7/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Plant-based foods and beverages products

Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes lists 39 ingredients on its label

39 97th percentile a longer ingredient list than 97% of the 63,434 products we track

0–2: 3,907 products (6%). Below this entry. 2–4: 7,921 products (12%). Below this entry. 4–6: 8,845 products (14%). Below this entry. 6–8: 7,032 products (11%). Below this entry. 8–10: 6,320 products (10%). Below this entry. 10–12: 4,190 products (7%). Below this entry. 12–14: 3,449 products (5%). Below this entry. 14–16: 3,051 products (5%). Below this entry. 16–18: 2,493 products (4%). Below this entry. 18–20: 2,053 products (3%). Below this entry. 20–22: 1,808 products (3%). Below this entry. 22–24: 1,758 products (3%). Below this entry. 24–26: 1,623 products (3%). Below this entry. 26–28: 1,606 products (3%). Below this entry. 28–30: 1,360 products (2%). Below this entry. 30–32: 1,198 products (2%). Below this entry. 32–34: 1,081 products (2%). Below this entry. 34–36: 901 products (1%). Below this entry. 36–38: 649 products (1%). Below this entry. 38–40: 534 products (1%). This entry sits in this band. 40–42: 1,655 products (3%). Above this entry. This product 0 42 every published Plant-based foods and beverages product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

63,434 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 39 (97th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
3,907 products (6%)
2–4
7,921 products (12%)
4–6
8,845 products (14%)
6–8
7,032 products (11%)
8–10
6,320 products (10%)
10–12
4,190 products (7%)
12–14
3,449 products (5%)
14–16
3,051 products (5%)
16–18
2,493 products (4%)
18–20
2,053 products (3%)
20–22
1,808 products (3%)
22–24
1,758 products (3%)
24–26
1,623 products (3%)
26–28
1,606 products (3%)
28–30
1,360 products (2%)
30–32
1,198 products (2%)
32–34
1,081 products (2%)
34–36
901 products (1%)
36–38
649 products (1%)
38–40
534 products (1%)
40 and above
1,655 products (3%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 63,434 Plant-based foods and beverages products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 50/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (2 flagged of 39 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Seasoned Potatoes
2
Potatoes
3
Modified Food Starch
4
Whey Flour
5
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
6
Organic Onions
7
Milk
8
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
9
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
10
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
11
Sodium Phosphate Concentrate
12
Sodium Bisulfite As A Preservatives
13
Spice
14
Buttermilk Solids
15
Sodium Tripolyphosphate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
16
Corn Syrup Solids
17
Artificial Flavor
18
Cheese Culture
19
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
20
Calcium Phosphate
21
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
22
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
23
Enzymes
24
Natural Flavor
25
Cheese Sauce
26
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
27
Cheddar Cheese
28
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
29
Canola Oil
30
Milk Protein Concentrate
31
Sodium Phosphate
32
Enzyme Modified Cheese
33
Water
34
Milkfat
35
Sodium Alginate
36
Sorbic Acid As A Preservative
37
Oleoresin Paprika
38
Color
39
Annatto Extract

Full Ingredient List

Seasoned Potatoes (Potatoes*, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Whey Flour, Salt, Onions*, Milk, Citric Acid, Garlic*, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Phosphate Concentrate, Sodium Bisulfite As A Preservatives, Spice, Buttermilk Solids, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Corn Syrup Solids, Artificial Flavor, Cheese Culture, Lactic Acid, Calcium Phosphate, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Enzymes, Natural Flavor); Cheese Sauce (Whey, Milk, Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Whey Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil, Milk Protein Concentrate, Sodium Phosphate, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Enzyme Modified Cheese [Milk, Water, Sodium Phosphate, Milkfat, Salt, Cheese Culture, Enzymes], Lactic Acid, Milkfat, Sodium Alginate, Sorbic Acid As A Preservative, Oleoresin Paprika [Color], Annatto Extract [Color], Enzymes, Natural Flavor, Cheese Culture

Other products containing Whey Flour

Whey Flour is the least common ingredient on this label, appearing in 3 products across the catalog. See its safety profile.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods

Mid-score cross-brand comparables for Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Neighbours outside Velveeta near Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes's mid-band score (50/100). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Velveeta; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Yellow 6 is the first flagged ingredient selected from Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 39-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Yellow 6. Open Yellow 6
  • Compare Velveeta, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes's 2 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0021000778690: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.