Potato Crisps, Jalapeno Pepper Jack

by LAY'S

0
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 5 flagged ingredients

Potato Crisps, Jalapeno Pepper Jack by LAY'S receives a safety score of 0/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 5 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
0028400012881
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
12 CRISPS | ABOUT (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Potato Crisps, Jalapeno Pepper Jack by LAY'S carries a composite safety score of 0/100, 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 5 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, Potato Crisps, Jalapeno Pepper Jack 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 Potato Crisps, Jalapeno Pepper Jack
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 0/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 5 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.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Potatoes
2
Vegetable Oil
3
Organic Sunflower
4
Corn
5
Cottonseed Oil
6
Unmodified Potato Starch
7
Rice Flour
8
And 2% Or Less Of The Following: Salt
9
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
10
Mono - And Diglycerides
11
Cheddar Cheese
12
Milk
13
Cheese Cultures
14
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
Enzymes
16
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
17
Soy Lecithin
18
Msg
19
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
20
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
21
Onion Powder
22
Tomato Powder
23
Corn Starch
24
Buttermilk
25
Romano Cheese
26
Part-skim Cow's Milk
27
Garlic Powder
28
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
29
Lactose
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
30
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
31
Spices
32
Including Jalapeno Pepper And Red Pepper
33
Natural And Artificial Flavor
34
Corn Syrup Solids
35
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
36
Made From Corn
37
Skim Milk
38
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
39
Malic Acid
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SYNERGIST
Safe GRAS
40
Monterey Jack Cheese
41
Artificial Color
42
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
43
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
44
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
45
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
46
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
47
Sodium Caseinate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
48
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
49
And Disodium Guanylate

Full Ingredient List

Dried Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Corn, And/Or Cottonseed Oil), Unmodified Potato Starch, Rice Flour, And 2% Or Less Of The Following: Salt, Sugar, Mono - And Diglycerides, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Dextrose, Soy Lecithin, Monosodium Glutamate, Citric Acid, Whey, Onion Powder, Tomato Powder, Corn Starch, Buttermilk, Romano Cheese (Part-Skim Cow'S Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Garlic Powder, Whey Protein Concentrate, Lactose, Sodium Diacetate, Spices (Including Jalapeno Pepper And Red Pepper), Natural And Artificial Flavor, Corn Syrup Solids, Maltodextrin (Made From Corn), Skim Milk, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Monterey Jack Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Artificial Color (Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1), Sodium Caseinate, Disodium Inosinate, And Disodium Guanylate.

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