Chicken caesar salad

75
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Chicken caesar salad receives a safety score of 75/100 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
0030223103202
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 cup (100 g)

What the Data Says About

Chicken caesar salad carries a composite safety score of 75/100, which we classify as "Caution" 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, Chicken caesar salad 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 C 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 Chicken caesar salad
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 75/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score C OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Romaine Lettuce
2
Chicken Breast
3
Water
4
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
5
Stabilizer
6
Rice Starch
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Listed
7
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
8
Potassium Chloride
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
9
Magnesium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
10
Distilled Vinegar
11
Sodium Tripolyphosphate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
12
Caesar Dressing
13
Soybean Oil Water
14
Egg Yolk
15
Lemon Juice Concentrate
16
Salt White Wine And Distilled Vinegars
17
Spices
18
Including Mustard Seed
19
Parmesan Cheese
20
Part-skim Milk. Cheese Culture
21
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
22
Enzymes
23
Dehydrated Garlic Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
24
Preservatives
25
Onion
26
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
27
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
28
Natural Flavors
29
Propylene Glycol Alginate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Approved
30
Molasses
31
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
32
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
33
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
34
Tamarind
35
Calcium Disodium Edta
36
Preservative
37
Anchovies
38
Pasteurized Milk
39
Cheese Cultures
40
And Powdered Cellulose
41
Anti-caking Agent
42
Multigrain Cheese Garlic Croutons
43
Enriched Flour
44
Wheat Flour
45
Malted Barley Flour
46
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
47
Reduced Iron
48
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
49
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
50
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
51
Canola
52
Sunflower Oil
53
Whole Wheat Flour
54
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
55
Salt. Yeast
56
Or Less Of High Fructose Corn Syrup
57
Rye Meal
58
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
59
Caramel Color Dehydrated Parsley
60
Garlic Powder
61
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
62
Ascorbic Acid. Honey Natural And Artificial Flavor
63
Parmesan Cheese And Enzyme Modified Cheese
64
Cultured Nonfat Milk Annatto
65
Color
66
Extractives Of Turmeric And Paprika
67
TBHQ
Preservative
Avoid Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)

Full Ingredient List

Romaine lettuce, chicken breast (chicken breast, water, sea salt, stabilizer [rice starch, carrageenan, potassium chloride, magnesium carbonate], distilled vinegar, sodium tripolyphosphate), caesar dressing (soybean oil water, egg yolk, lemon juice concentrate, salt white wine and distilled vinegars, spices [including mustard seed], parmesan cheese [part-skim milk. cheese culture, salt, enzymes], dehydrated garlic sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate [preservatives], dehydrated onion, extra virgin olive oil, xanthan gum, natural flavors, propylene glycol alginate, molasses, corn syrup, caramel color, sugar, tamarind, calcium disodium edta [preservative], anchovies), parmesan cheese (parmesan cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], and powdered cellulose [anti-caking agent]), multigrain cheese garlic croutons (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], canola and/or sunflower oil, whole wheat flour, whey, salt. yeast, contains 2% or less of high fructose corn syrup, rye meal, wheat gluten, caramel color dehydrated parsley, garlic powder, calcium propionate [preservative], ascorbic acid. honey natural and artificial flavor, parmesan cheese and enzyme modified cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], cultured nonfat milk annatto [color], extractives of turmeric and paprika [color], enzymes, tbhq [preservative])

Categories

Meals Prepared salads Salads

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