original mix

by Lay's, Doritos

25
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

original mix by Lay's, Doritos receives a safety score of 25/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 3 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
0028400154581
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed

What the Data Says About

original mix by Lay's, Doritos carries a composite safety score of 25/100, 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 3 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, original mix 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.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for original mix
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 25/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Lay's Classic Potato Chips: F Jta Oes
2
Vegetuole Oil
3
Organic Sunflower
4
Corn
5
Canola Oil
6
And Salt. Doritos Cool Ranch Flavored Tortilla Chips: Corn
7
Vegetable Oil
8
Canola
9
Sunflower Oil
10
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
11
Corn Starch
12
Tomato Powder
13
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
14
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
15
Skim Milk
16
Onion Powder. Sugar. Garlic Powder
17
Monosodjum Glutamate
18
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
19
Made From Corn
20
Cheddar Cheese
21
Milk
22
Cheese Cultures
23
Enzymes
24
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
25
Malic Acid
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SYNERGIST
Safe GRAS
26
Corn Syrup Solids
27
Buttermilk
28
Natural And Artificial Flavors
29
Sodium Acetate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
GRAS
30
Artificial Color
31
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
32
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
33
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
Spice
35
Citric Acid. Disodiun Inosir Ate
36
And Disodium Guanylate
37
Milk Ingredients. Smartfouj Te Cheddar Cheese Po?corn: Popcorn
38
Cheese Cultur Es
39
Sc Enzymes
40
. Ney
41
Butte Milk
42
Natural Flavor
43
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
44
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
45
Corn Oil
46
Corn S' Amın.onium Bicarhonate
47
Val. Extract
48
And Yeast
49
Wheat Ingredients. Lay's Wavy Potato Chips: Potatoes
50
And Salt

Full Ingredient List

lay's classic potato chips: f jta oes, vegetuole oil (sunflower, corn and/or canola oil), and salt. doritos cool ranch flavored tortilla chips: corn, vegetable oil (corn, canola, and/or sunflower oil), salt, corn starch, tomato powder, lactose, whey, skim milk, onion powder. sugar. garlic powder, monosodjum glutamate, maltodextrin (made from corn), cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes) dextrose, malic acid, corn syrup solids, buttermilk, natural and artificial flavors, sodium acetate, artificial color (red 40, blue 1, yellow 5), spice, citric acid. disodiun inosir ate, and disodium guanylate. contains milk ingredients. smartfouj te cheddar cheese po?corn: popcorn, vegetable oil (corn, canola, and/or sunflower oil), cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultur es, sc enzymes). ney, butte milk, natural flavor, and salt. contain milk ingrec ents. not 5 dold tin twists prstzels: enriched flour wheat flour. niacin. reduced iron. thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, corn oil, corn s' amın.onium bicarhonate, val. extract, and yeast. contains wheat ingredients. lay's wavy potato chips: potatoes, vegetable oil (sunflower, corn, and/or canola oil), and salt.

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