Grits
by Quaker
Contains 1 flagged ingredient
Grits by Quaker 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.
What the Data Says About
Grits by Quaker 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, Grits 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 D 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
| 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 | D | OpenFoodFacts |
Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.
Ingredient Safety Analysis
Full Ingredient List
degerminated white corn grits, salt, calcium carbonate, reduced íron, niacinamide*, bht and citric acid (to preserve freshness), thiamin mononitrate*, riboflavin*, folic acid". 404-l02-28 *one of the b vitamins. 0% butter ingredients: degerminated white corn grits, salt, maltodextrin, sunflower oil, vegetable oil (palm kernel and palm oil), rice flour, calcium carbonate, whey, sodium caseinate, oat fiber, natural flavor, corn starch, mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, hydrogenated palm oil, annatto (color), nonfat milk, reduced iron, turmeric (color), niacinamide*, bht and citric acid (to preserve freshness), thiamin mononitrate*, riboflavin*, beta carotene (color), folic acid. 379-l02-15 0% 8% 45% 0% 15% 10% 10% 20% cheddar cheese ingredients: degerminated white corn grits, salt, coconut oil, corn syrup solids, palm oil, calcium carbonate, natural and artificial flavor, maltodextrin, modified food starch, whey, cheddar cheese (milk, cultures, salt, enzymes), yeast extract, annatto and turmeric (color), hydrolyzed corn gluten, monosodium glutamate, sodium phosphate, lactic acid, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, sodium caseinate, reduced iron, mono and diglycerides, potassium phosphate, tocopherols (to preserve freshness), niacinamide*, bht and citric acid (to preserve freshness), riboflavin (nutrient and color)*, thiamin mononitrate*, folic acid. 396-l04-23 *one of the b vitamins. contains milk ingredients. country bacon ingredients: specially processed degerminated white corn grits, textured soy flour, salt, calcium carbonate, soybean oil, natural flavor, caramel color, reduced iron, niacinamide", bht and citric acid (preservatives), thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin", folic acid". 394-l04-27 one of the b vitamins. contains soy ingredients. smartlabel 0x10 e
Categories
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
