Cheetos Popcorn flaming hot

by Cheetos

0
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

Cheetos Popcorn flaming hot by Cheetos 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 4 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
0028400305785
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 serving (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Cheetos Popcorn flaming hot by Cheetos 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 4 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, Cheetos Popcorn flaming hot 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 Cheetos Popcorn flaming hot
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 0/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 4 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
Popcorn
2
Vegetable Oil
3
Corn Oil
4
Canola Oil
5
And Organic Sunflower Oil
6
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
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Natural Flavor
9
Cheddar Cheese
10
Milk
11
Cheese Cultures
12
Enzymes
13
Msg
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
Potassium Chloride
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
16
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
17
Artificial Color
18
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
19
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
20
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
21
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
22
Onion Powder
23
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
24
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
25
Corn Syrup Solids
26
Buttermilk
27
Garlic Powder
28
Natural Flavors
29
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
30
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
31
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved

Full Ingredient List

Popcorn, vegetable oil (corn oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil), maltodextrin, salt, natural flavor, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), monosodium glutamate, whey, potassium chloride, citric acid, artificial color (red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, yellow 6, yellow 5), onion powder, sugar, whey protein concentrate, corn syrup solids, buttermilk, garlic powder, natural flavors, sodium diacetate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate.

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