Safe

Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz

Scores 95/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.

Barcode 0028989716743 · Serving size 1 Burger (120 g)

The verdict

Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz scores 95/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 46 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

95/100
Safe safety score
1
flagged ingredient of 46 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
A
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

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 Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz

Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz 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. 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 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, Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz 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 A 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 Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz
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 A OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 93,264 products we've scored in the Plant-based foods and beverages category, the average safety score is 98.1/100. Morningstar farms veggie burgers spicy black bean 38.1oz scores 3.1 points below that category average (95/100 vs. 98.1/100), so it is roughly typical for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Organic Onions
2
Cooked Black Beans
3
Black Beans
4
Water
5
Hydrated Wheat Gluten
6
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
7
Cooked Brown Rice
8
Brown Rice
9
Whole Kernel Corn
10
Corn Oil
11
Soy Protein Concentrate
12
Diced Tomatoes
13
Green Chiles
14
Egg Whites
15
Bulgur Wheat
16
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
17
Two Percent Or Less Of Cornstarch
18
Onion Powder
19
Green Bell Peppers
20
Spices
21
Dried Red Bell Peppers
22
Cilantro
23
Tomato Juice
24
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
25
Yeast Extract
26
Tomato Powder
27
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
28
Garlic Powder
29
Chipotle Pepper
30
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
31
Corn Gluten
32
Soy Protein
33
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
34
Soybeans
35
Wheat
36
Vinegar
37
Natural And Artificial Flavors
38
Jalapeno Peppers
39
Red Pepper
40
Green Pepper Juice
41
Garlic Juice
42
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
43
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
44
Thiamin Hydrochloride
45
Lime Juice
46
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Onions, cooked black beans (black beans, water), hydrated wheat gluten (water, wheat gluten), cooked brown rice (water, brown rice), whole kernel corn, corn oil, soy protein concentrate, diced tomatoes, water, green chiles, egg whites, bulgur wheat, calcium caseinate, contains two percent or less of cornstarch, onion powder, green bell peppers, spices, red bell peppers, cilantro, tomato juice, salt, yeast extract, tomato powder, dextrose, garlic powder, chipotle pepper, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn gluten, wheat gluten, soy protein), soy sauce (soybeans, wheat, salt), vinegar, natural and artificial flavors, jalapeno peppers, red pepper, green pepper juice, garlic juice, disodium inosinate, caramel color, thiamin hydrochloride, lime juice, lactic acid.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Frozen foods Frozen plant-based foods Frozen plant-based foods mixes

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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

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.