Cheetos, Mix-Ups, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix

by Cheetos

0
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 6 flagged ingredients

Cheetos, Mix-Ups, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix 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 6 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
0028400334488
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 ONZ (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Cheetos, Mix-Ups, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix 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 6 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, Mix-Ups, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix, Flamin Hot & Cheesy 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. 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 Cheetos, Mix-Ups, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix, Flamin Hot & Cheesy Mix
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 0/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 6 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
Cheetos Brand Puffs Cheese Flavored Snacks: Enriched Corn Meal
2
Corn Meal
3
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Thiamin Mononitrate
6
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
And Folic Acid
8
Vegetable Oil
9
Corn
10
Canola
11
Sunflower Oil
12
Cheese Seasoning
13
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
14
Cheddar Cheese
15
Milk
16
Cheese Cultures
17
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
18
Enzymes
19
Canola Oil
20
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
21
Made From Corn
22
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
23
Msg
24
Natural And Artificial Flavors
25
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
26
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
27
Artificial Color
28
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
29
Flamin' Hot Seasoning
30
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
31
Yeast Extract
32
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
33
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
34
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
35
Onion Powder
36
Garlic Powder
37
Natural Flavor
38
Buttermilk
39
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
40
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
41
And Disodium Guanylate
42
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
43
Cheddar Jalapeno Seasoning
44
Salt Enzymes
45
Romano Cheese
46
Part Skim Cow's Milk
47
Corn Starch
48
Corn Oil
49
Spices
50
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
51
Jalapeno Pepper
52
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
53
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
54
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
55
Malic Acid
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SYNERGIST
Safe GRAS
56
Skim Milk
57
Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate
58
. Cheetos Brand Mini Puffs Double Cheddar Flavored Snacks: Enriched Corn Meal
59
Double Cheddar Seasoning
60
Artificial Flavor
61
And Salt

Full Ingredient List

Cheetos Brand Puffs Cheese Flavored Snacks: Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, And Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, And/Or Sunflower Oil), Cheese Seasoning (Whey, Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Canola Oil, Maltodextrin [Made From Corn], Salt, Whey Protein Concentrate, Monosodium Glutamate, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Artificial Color [Yellow 6]), And Salt. Cheetos Brand Flamin Hot Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks: Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, And Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola And/Or Sunflower Oil), Flamin' Hot Seasoning (Maltodextrin [Made From Corn], Salt, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Artificial Color [Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 6, Yellow 5], Sunflower Oil, Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Onion Powder, Whey, Whey Protein Concentrate, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor, Buttermilk, Sodium Diacetate, Disodium Inosinate, And Disodium Guanylate), And Salt. Cheetos Brand Grid-Shaped Jalapeno Cheddar Flavored Snacks: Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, And/Or Sunflower Oil), Cheddar Jalapeno Seasoning (Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt Enzymes], Salt, Whey, Maltodextrin, [Made From Corn], Buttermilk, Romano Cheese [Part Skim Cow'S Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Monosodium Glutamate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Onion Powder, Corn Starch, Corn Oil, Sugar, Spices, Dextrose, Jalapeno Pepper, Garlic Powder, Sunflower Oil, Artificial Color [Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40], Citric Acid, Lactose, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Skim Milk, Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate). Cheetos Brand Mini Puffs Double Cheddar Flavored Snacks: Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, And/Or Sunflower Oil), Double Cheddar Seasoning (Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Whey, Canola Oil, Maltodextrin [Made From Corn], Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Artificial Color [Yellow 6], Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Artificial Flavor), And Salt.

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