lays
by Fritolay, Cheetos, Lay's, Ruffles
Scores 0/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 4 flagged ingredients identified.
The verdict
lays by Fritolay, Cheetos, Lay's, Ruffles scores 0/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 65 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 4 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.
- 0/100
- Avoid safety score
- 4
- flagged ingredients of 65 analyzed
- Group 4
- Ultra-processed
- 0028400656351
- Barcode (UPC/EAN)
Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.
What the Data Says About lays
lays by Fritolay, Cheetos, Lay's, Ruffles 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. This score is a transparent derived index we compute from that public data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement; see the Methodology page for the exact weighting.
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, lays 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
| 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
Full Ingredient List
enriched corn meal (corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (corn, canola, and/or sunflower oil), whey, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), maltodextrin (made from corn), natural and artificial flavors, salt, whey protein concentrate, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, citric acid, and artificial color (yellow 6), contains milk ingredients, baked ruffles® cheddar , sour cream flavored potato crisps ingredients: dried potatoes, corn starch, corn oil, sugar, maltodextrin (made from corn), salt, soy lecithin, dextrose, whey, whey protein concentrate, onion powder, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), monosodium glutamate, blue cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), citric acid, artificial color (yellow 6 lake, yellow 5 lake, yellow 5, yellow 6), skim milk, natural and artificial flavors, garlic powder, lactic acid, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate, contains milk and soy ingredients, baked lay's® barbecue flavored potato crisps ingredients: dried potatoes, corn starch, corn oil, sugar, salt, soy lecithin, onion powder, maltodextrin (made from corn), dextrose, brown sugar, molasses, spices, fructose, tomato powder, garlic powder, yeast, soybean oil, natural flavors (contains milk), sunflower oil, paprika, acacia gum, paprika extracts, annatto extracts, and caramel color, contains milk and soy ingredients, frito-lay, inc, plano, tx 75024-4099 © 2017 frito-lay north america, inc, frito lay visit our website @ fritolay,com
Data Sources
Data as of May 2026. 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
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Product figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, and CSPI Chemical Cuisine data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.