Grits
by Quaker
Scores 95/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.
The verdict
Grits by Quaker scores 95/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 59 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 59 analyzed
- Group 4
- Ultra-processed
- D
- 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 Grits
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. 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, 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.
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. Grits 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
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
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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.