Cheeto bolitas

by Cheetos

25
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Cheeto bolitas by Cheetos 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
0028400701464
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed

What the Data Says About

Cheeto bolitas by Cheetos 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, Cheeto bolitas 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 Cheeto bolitas
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 E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Enriched Corn Meal
2
Con Meal
3
Ferrous Sulf Niacin
4
Thiamin Mononitra
5
Boflav
6
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
7
Veget Oil
8
Corn
9
Canola
10
Sun Ower Oil
11
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
12
Ched Cheese
13
Pasteurized Milk
14
Cheese Ctures
15
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
16
Enzym Corn Syrup Solids
17
Buttermilk
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 F Corn
20
Spices
21
Whole Milk
22
Msg
23
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
24
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
25
Natural And Artificial Flavors
26
Disodium Sinate
27
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved
28
Onion Powder
29
Malic Acid. Al Color
30
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
31
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
32
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
33
Yellons Blue 1 Lake
34
And Garlic Powder
35
Milk Ingredients. Sulfato Ferroso
36
Niacina
37
Mononitrato De Tiamina
38
Riboflavina
39
Ingredientes: Cereal De Maíz Fortificado
40
Cereal De Maiz
41
Y áCido Fólico
42
Aceite Vegetal
43
Aceite De Maíz
44
Aceite De Canola
45
Y/o Aceite De Girasol
46
Suero De Leche
47
Queso Cheddar
48
Leche
49
Cultivos Lácteos
50
Sal
51
Enzimas
52
Sólidos De Jarabe De Maíz
53
Suero De Mantequilla
54
Maltodextrina
55
Extraida De Maiz
56
Especias
57
Glutamato Monosódio
58
áCido Láctico
59
Acido Citrico
60
Saborizantes Naturales Y Artificiales
61
Inosinato Disodico
62
Guanilato Disódico
63
Cebolla En Polvo
64
áCido Málico. Color Artificial
65
Amarillo 5 Laca
66
Rojo 40 Laca
67
Amarillo 6 Laca
68
Amarillo 6
69
Azul 1 Laca
70
And Ajo En Polvo. Contiene Ingredientes De Leche. Frito-lay
71
Inc. Plano
72
Tx 75024-4099 ⓒ2022 Frito-lay North America

Full Ingredient List

enriched corn meal (con meal, ferrous sulf niacin, thiamin mononitra, boflav, folic acid), veget oil (corn, canola, and/or sun ower oil), whey, ched cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese ctures, salt, enzym corn syrup solids, buttermilk, maltodextrin (made f corn), salt, spices, whole milk, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, disodium sinate, disodium guanylate, onion powder, malic acid. al color (yellow 5 lake, red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, yellons blue 1 lake), and garlic powder. contains milk ingredients. sulfato ferroso, niacina, mononitrato de tiamina, riboflavina, ingredientes: cereal de maíz fortificado (cereal de maiz, y ácido fólico), aceite vegetal (aceite de maíz, aceite de canola, y/o aceite de girasol), suero de leche, queso cheddar (leche, cultivos lácteos, sal, enzimas), sólidos de jarabe de maíz, suero de mantequilla, maltodextrina (extraida de maiz), sal, especias, leche, glutamato monosódio, ácido láctico, acido citrico, saborizantes naturales y artificiales, inosinato disodico, guanilato disódico, cebolla en polvo, ácido málico. color artificial (amarillo 5 laca, rojo 40 laca, amarillo 6 laca, amarillo 6, azul 1 laca), and ajo en polvo. contiene ingredientes de leche. frito-lay, inc. plano, tx 75024-4099 ⓒ2022 frito-lay north america, inc. questions or comments? 800-352-4477 guaranteed fresh until printed date or this snack is on us fritolay.com mon-fri 9:00am to 4:30pm ct email or chat at

Categories

Snacks Salty snacks Appetizers Chips and fries Crisps Corn chips

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