Fantastix chili cheese

50
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Fantastix chili cheese receives a safety score of 50/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0028400052993
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
28.3 g

What the Data Says About

Fantastix chili cheese 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.

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, Fantastix chili cheese 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 Fantastix chili cheese
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 D OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Whole Corn Meal
2
Enriched Corn Meal
3
Corn Meal
4
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
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
Vegetable Oil
10
Corn
11
Canola
12
Sunflower Oil
13
Dried Potatoes And Less Than 2% Of The Following: Maltodextrin
14
Made From Corn
15
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
16
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
17
Spices
18
Msg
19
Natural And Artificial Flavors
20
Onion Powder
21
Cheddar Cheese
22
Milk
23
Cheese Cultures
24
Enzymes
25
Garlic Powder
26
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
27
Cream Powder
28
Torula yeast
Flavoring
Safe
29
Swiss Cheese
30
Colby Cheese
31
Butter
32
Cream
33
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
34
Sour Cream
35
Cultured Cream
36
Skim Milk
37
Yeast Extract
38
Artificial Color
39
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
40
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
41
Jalapeno Pepper
42
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
43
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved
44
And Beta-carotene
45
Milk Ingredients

Full Ingredient List

Whole Corn Meal, Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, and/or Sunflower Oil), Dried Potatoes and Less than 2% of the Following: Maltodextrin (Made from Corn), Salt, Whey, Spices, Monosodium Glutamate, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Onion Powder, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Garlic Powder, Dextrose, Cream Powder, Torula Yeast, Swiss Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Colby Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Butter (Cream, Salt), Sodium Diacetate, Sour Cream (Cultured Cream, Skim Milk), Yeast Extract, Artificial Color (Yellow 5, Yellow 6), Jalapeno Pepper, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, and Beta-Carotene. CONTAINS MILK INGREDIENTS

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