Caution

Bacon Mac ‘n cheese

by Banquet Mega Bowls

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0031000009793 · Banquet Mega Bowls · Frozen foods. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0031000009793 · Serving size 368g

The verdict

Bacon Mac ‘n cheese by Banquet Mega Bowls scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 41 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 41-component record, beginning with Water, Pasteurized Processed Cheese Spread, Cheddar And Colby Cheese. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
Few flagged · of 41 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
C
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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

58/100

Grade C

Ingredient Safety

80/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

C

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

00009793 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Bacon Mac ‘n cheese label screening desk

SCORE-CAUT 80/100 FLAG-FEW 2 flagged LEN-DENSE 41 ing. REG-SPARSE 29% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-C Nutri-C RANK-MID Len top 38% LEAD-FLAG Sodium Nitrite PHOTO-FINISH BANQUET Basic Meatloaf · ±0 BOOK-OFF …009793 · July 2026

12 of 41 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Sodium Nitrite). Source sheet 00009793 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: BANQUET Basic Meatloaf Meal, 8 OZ · Nearest score peer is BANQUET Basic Meatloaf Meal, 8 OZ at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the second band of the four-tier framework. That band collects labels whose registry-rated components pull the derived score down measurably without dominating it. Position inside a band is not visible from the band name, and two labels sharing it can differ in how many components were rated and how severely. This is a threshold on an index computed here from public data, not a regulatory classification of any kind; the exact cut-offs are published on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score settled on its middle grade here, the band the algorithm produces when the penalty and credit sides of its nutrient ledger come out close to balanced. A mid-scale grade is a statement about the panel as a whole rather than about any single nutrient, and products arrive at it by very different routes: a moderate profile across every term, or high marks on some offset by heavy penalties on others. The grade is computed separately from the ingredient screen below and the two are not comparable measures.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Bacon Mac ‘n cheese: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Bacon Mac ‘n cheese80/1002. BANQUET Basic Meatloaf Meal, 8 OZ: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. BANQUET Basic Meatloaf Me…80/1003. Backyard bbq meal: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. Backyard bbq meal80/1004. Turkey Meal: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Turkey Meal80/1005. Salisbury Steak Meal: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Salisbury Steak Meal80/100
High-band neighbours for Bacon Mac ‘n cheese (80/100) outside Banquet Mega Bowls.
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Bacon Mac ‘n cheese
80/100
BANQUET Basic Meatloaf Meal, 8 OZ
80/100
Backyard bbq meal
80/100
Turkey Meal
80/100
Salisbury Steak Meal
80/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 24,982 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 92.9/100. Bacon Mac ‘n cheese scores 12.9 points below that category average (80/100 vs. 92.9/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Frozen foods products

Bacon Mac ‘n cheese lists 41 ingredients on its label

41 62nd percentile a longer ingredient list than 62% of the 7,008 products we track

0–2: 11 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 6–8: 66 products (1%). Below this entry. 8–10: 102 products (1%). Below this entry. 10–12: 112 products (2%). Below this entry. 12–14: 184 products (3%). Below this entry. 14–16: 205 products (3%). Below this entry. 16–18: 245 products (3%). Below this entry. 18–20: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 20–22: 264 products (4%). Below this entry. 22–24: 298 products (4%). Below this entry. 24–26: 247 products (4%). Below this entry. 26–28: 271 products (4%). Below this entry. 28–30: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 30–32: 294 products (4%). Below this entry. 32–34: 325 products (5%). Below this entry. 34–36: 319 products (5%). Below this entry. 36–38: 314 products (4%). Below this entry. 38–40: 283 products (4%). Below this entry. 40–42: 2,792 products (40%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Frozen foods product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

7,008 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 41 (62nd percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
11 products (0%)
2–4
54 products (1%)
4–6
54 products (1%)
6–8
66 products (1%)
8–10
102 products (1%)
10–12
112 products (2%)
12–14
184 products (3%)
14–16
205 products (3%)
16–18
245 products (3%)
18–20
284 products (4%)
20–22
264 products (4%)
22–24
298 products (4%)
24–26
247 products (4%)
26–28
271 products (4%)
28–30
284 products (4%)
30–32
294 products (4%)
32–34
325 products (5%)
34–36
319 products (5%)
36–38
314 products (4%)
38–40
283 products (4%)
40 and above
2,792 products (40%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 7,008 Frozen foods products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 80/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (2 flagged of 41 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Water
2
Pasteurized Processed Cheese Spread
3
Cheddar And Colby Cheese
4
Milk
5
Cheese Culture
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Enzymes
8
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
9
Sodium Phosphate
10
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
11
Skim Milk
12
Milkfat
13
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
14
Cellulose Gum
15
Corn Starch
16
Soybean Oil
17
Nonfat Dry Milk
18
Sodium Phosphates
19
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
20
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
21
Guar Gum
22
Ground White Pepper
23
Natural Smoke Flavor
24
Cooked Enriched Cavatappi Pasta
25
Enriched Pasta
26
Durum Wheat Semolina
27
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Reduced Iron
29
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
31
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
32
Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
33
Pasteurized Organic Part Skim Milk
34
Cultures
35
Bacon
36
Cured With Water
37
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
38
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
39
Brown Sugar
40
Natural Smoke Flavor
41
Green Onions

Full Ingredient List

Water, pasteurized processed cheese spread (cheddar and colby cheese, milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, whey, sodium phosphate, whey protein concentrate, skim milk, milkfat, carrageenan, cellulose gum), modified corn starch, soybean oil, nonfat dry milk, salt, sodium phosphates, xanthan gum, citric acid, guar gum, ground white pepper, natural smoke flavor, cooked enriched cavatappi pasta (water, enriched pasta [durum wheat semolina, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid]), part skim mozzarella cheese (pasteurized part skim milk, skim milk, salt, cultures, enzymes), bacon (cured with water, salt, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, may contain sugar, brown sugar, and/or smoke flavor), green onions.

Categories

Frozen foods Meals Combination Meals Frozen ready-made meals Vegetable based frozen ready-made meals

High-score cross-brand comparables for Bacon Mac ‘n cheese

Neighbours outside Banquet Mega Bowls with screening scores in the same high band as Bacon Mac ‘n cheese (80/100 here). The 4 same-brand links above stay within Banquet Mega Bowls; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Sodium Nitrite is the first flagged ingredient selected from Bacon Mac ‘n cheese's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 41-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Sodium Nitrite. Open Sodium Nitrite
  • Compare Bacon Mac ‘n cheese's 2 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0031000009793: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.