Sun Chips

by FritoLay

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Sun Chips by FritoLay receives a safety score of 95/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient 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
0028400766449
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1g

What the Data Says About

Sun Chips by FritoLay carries a composite safety score of 95/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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 1 flagged ingredient 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, Sun Chips 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 Sun Chips
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 95/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 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
Whole Wheat
2
Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour
3
Whole Oat Flour
4
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
5
Corn Oil
6
Whole Corn Flour
7
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
8
Made From Corn
9
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
10
Corn Starch
11
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
12
Baking Soda
13
Soy Lecithin
14
Natural Flavor
15
Cheddar Cheese
16
Milk
17
Cheese Cultures
18
Enzymes
19
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
20
Buttermilk
21
Onion Powder
22
Tomato Powder
23
Romano Cheese
24
Cow's Milk
25
Garlic Powder
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
Yeast Extract
28
Spices
29
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
30
Paprika
31
Annatto Extract
32
Color
33
Skim Milk
34
Butter
35
Cream
36
Disodium Phosphate
37
Blue Cheese
38
Dehydrated Parsley
39
Sour Cream
40
Cultured Cream
41
Nonfat Milk
42
Msg
43
Artificial Flavor
44
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
45
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved
46
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
47
Milk Protein Concentrate
48
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
49
Sunflower Oil
50
Canola Oil
51
Paprika Extract
52
Natural Smoke Flavor
53
Vinegar
54
Molasses
55
Brown Sugar
56
Torula yeast
Flavoring
Safe
57
Yeast
58
Onion
59
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
60
Spice
61
Tomato

Full Ingredient List

whole wheat, whole grain brown rice flour, whole oat flour, sugar, corn oil, whole corn flour, maltodextrin (made from corn), salt, corn starch, dextrose, baking soda, soy lecithin, natural flavor, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, onion powder, tomato powder, romano cheese (cow's milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), garlic powder, citric acid, yeast extract, spices, lactic acid, paprika, annatto extract (color), skim milk, butter (cream, salt), disodium phosphate, blue cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), parsley, sour cream (cultured cream, nonfat milk), nonfat milk, monosodium glutamate, artificial flavor, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, caramel color, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, sunflower oil, canola oil, paprika extract (color), natural smoke flavor, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, torula yeast, yeast, sugar, onion, garlic, spice, citric acid, natural flavor, tomato, paprika, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, onion powder, tomato powder, romano cheese (cow's milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), garlic powder, citric acid, yeast extract, spices, lactic acid, paprika, annatto extract (color), skim milk, butter (cream, salt), disodium phosphate, blue cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), parsley, sour cream (cultured cream, nonfat milk), nonfat milk, monosodium glutamate, artificial flavor, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, caramel color, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, sunflower oil, canola oil, paprika extract (color), natural smoke flavor, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, torula yeast, yeast, sugar, onion, garlic, spice, citric acid, natural flavor, tomato, paprika

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