Instant deluxe baked flavored mashed potatoes

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Instant deluxe baked flavored mashed potatoes receives a safety score of 55/100 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
0032251051418
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.25 CUP DRY MIX, MAKES 1/2 CUP PREPARED | ABOUT (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Instant deluxe baked flavored mashed potatoes carries a composite safety score of 55/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Instant deluxe baked flavored mashed potatoes 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 E 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 Instant deluxe baked flavored mashed potatoes
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 55/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Potatoes*
2
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
3
Butter
4
Cream
5
Buttermilk
6
Sour Cream
7
Milk Fat
8
Nonfat Milk Solids
9
Corn Syrup Solids
10
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
11
From Milk
12
Cultures
13
Sodium Silicoaluminate
14
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
15
Canola Oil
16
Natural Cheddar Cheese Flavor
17
Natural Flavors
18
Includes Milk
19
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
20
Dipotassium Phosphate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
21
Parmesan
22
Blue Cheese
23
And Romano Cheeses
24
Pasteurized Milk
25
Enzymes And Salt
26
Imitation Bacon
27
Soy Flour
28
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
29
Soybean Oil
30
Flavoring
31
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
32
Onion*
33
Chives*
34
Spice
35
Mono - And Diglycerides
36
Natural And Artificial Flavors
37
Sodium Caseinate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
38
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
39
Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate
40
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
41
Color
42
Soy Lec-ithin
43
Freshness Preserved With Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
44
Sodium Bisulfite And Citric Acid

Full Ingredient List

Potatoes*, salt, butter (cream, salt, buttermilk), sour cream [milk fat, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, whey (from milk), cultures, sodium silicoaluminate, lactic acid], canola oil, natural cheddar cheese flavor [natural flavors (includes milk), maltodextrin, whey (from milk), dipotassium phosphate], parmesan, blue cheese, and romano cheeses (pasteurized milk, cultures, enzymes and salt), corn syrup solids, imitation bacon (soy flour, caramel color, soybean oil, salt, natural flavoring, red 3), onion*, chives*, spice, mono - and diglycerides, natural and artificial flavors, sodium caseinate, sugar, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, titanium dioxide (color), soy lec-ithin, dipotassium phosphate, freshness preserved with sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bisulfite and citric acid.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Fruits and vegetables based foods Vegetables based foods Vegetables Mixed vegetables

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