Caesar salad kit

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Caesar salad kit receives a safety score of 85/100 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
0021130981380
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
2 1/4 cup (100 g)

What the Data Says About

Caesar salad kit carries a composite safety score of 85/100, which we classify as "Caution" 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, Caesar salad kit 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 Caesar salad kit
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 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
Romaine Lettuce
2
Caesar Dressing
3
Vegetable Oil
4
Soybean Oil
5
Canola Oil
6
Water
7
Parmesan Cheese
8
Part Skim Milk
9
Rennet
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
10
Cultures
11
Calcium Chloride
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, ENZYME, FIRMING AGENT, FREEZING OR COOLING AGENT, DIRECT CONTACT, FUMIGANT, HUMECTANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING
GRAS
12
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
13
Eggs
14
Distilled Vinegar
15
Red Wine Vinegar
16
Anchovy Paste
17
Dijon Mustard
18
Vinegar
19
Mustard Seeds
20
Spices
21
Egg Yolks
22
Garlic*
23
Lemon Juice Concentrate
24
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
25
Natural Flavor
26
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
27
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
28
As Preservatives
29
Calcium Disodium Edta
30
To Protect Flavor
31
Chicken Breast With Rib Meat
32
Sodium Lactate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, WASHING OR SURFACE REMOVAL AGENT
GRAS
33
Seasoning
34
Artificial Chicken Flavor {Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
35
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
36
Thiamine Hydrochloride
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
37
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
38
Disodium Guanylate}
39
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
40
Flavoring
41
Potato Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
42
Potassium Lactate
FLAVOR ENHANCER
GRAS
43
Sodium Phosphates
44
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
45
Butter Garlic Croutons
46
Enriched Flour
47
Wheat Flour
48
Malted Barley Flour
49
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
50
Reduced Iron
51
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
52
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
53
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
54
Canola
55
Sunflower Oil
56
Yeast
57
Or Less Of: Salt
58
Onion Powder
59
Parsley*
60
Yeast Extract
61
Butter Oil
62
Enzyme Modified Milkfat
63
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
64
Color
65
Enzymes
66
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
67
Paprika
68
TBHQ
Preservative
Avoid Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)
69
To Preserve Freshness
70
Parmesan Style Cheese
71
Pasteurized Organic Part Skim Milk
72
Cheese Culture
73
Potato Starch And Powdered Cellulose
74
To Prevent Caking
75
Natamycin
FUMIGANT
Safe Approved
76
Mold Inhibitor

Full Ingredient List

Romaine lettuce, caesar dressing (vegetable oil [soybean oil and/or canola oil], water, parmesan cheese [part skim milk, rennet, cultures, calcium chloride, salt], eggs, distilled vinegar, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste, dijon mustard [water, vinegar, mustard seeds, salt, spices], egg yolks, salt, garlic*, lemon juice concentrate, sugar, spices, natural flavor, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate [as preservatives], calcium disodium edta [to protect flavor]), chicken breast with rib meat (chicken breast with rib meat, water, sodium lactate, seasoning [salt, sugar, artificial chicken flavor {hydrolyzed corn protein, autolyzed yeast extract, thiamine hydrochloride, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate}, dextrose, natural flavoring], modified potato starch, dextrose, potassium lactate, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate), butter garlic croutons (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], canola and/or sunflower oil, yeast, sugar, contains 2% or less of: salt, garlic*, onion powder, parsley*, vinegar, natural flavor, yeast extract, butter oil, dextrose, enzyme modified milkfat, annatto [color], enzymes, ascorbic acid, paprika [color], tbhq [to preserve freshness]), parmesan style cheese (parmesan style cheese [pasteurized part skim milk, salt, cheese culture, enzymes], potato starch and powdered cellulose [to prevent caking], natamycin [mold inhibitor]).

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Fruits and vegetables based foods

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