Avoid

Sweetened multigrain cereal

Scores 25/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 3 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0038000109706 · Serving size 1 cup (28 g)

The verdict

Sweetened multigrain cereal scores 25/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 31 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

25/100
Avoid safety score
3
flagged ingredients of 31 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
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 Sweetened multigrain cereal

Sweetened multigrain cereal carries a composite safety score of 25/100, which we classify as "Avoid" 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 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, Sweetened multigrain cereal 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 Sweetened multigrain cereal
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 25/100 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.

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. Sweetened multigrain cereal scores 73.1 points below that category average (25/100 vs. 98.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Degerminated Yellow Corn Flour
3
Wheat Flour
4
Oat Flour
5
Or Less Of Palm Kernel Oil
6
Iodized Salt
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Potassium Iodate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT
Avoid GRAS
9
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
10
Natural And Artificial Flavor
11
Turmeric Color
12
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
13
Red Beet Juice Concentrate
14
Color
15
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
16
Cherry Juice Concentrate
17
Bht For Freshness. Vitamins And Minerals: Calcium Carbonate
18
Vitamin C
19
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
20
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
21
Iron
22
Reduced Iron
23
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Vitamin B6
25
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Vitamin B1
27
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Vitamin B2
29
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
31
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, degerminated yellow corn flour, wheat flour,oat flour, contains 2% or less of palm kernel oil, iodized salt (salt,potassium iodate),yellow 6, natural and artificial flavor, turmeric color, red 3, red beet juice concentrate (color), blue 1, salt, cherry juice concentrate, bht for freshness. vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, vitamin c (ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate), iron (reduced iron, iron),niacinamide, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b1 (thiamine mononitrate), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), folic acid, niacin.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Cereals and potatoes Cereals and their products

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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

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.