Sweetened multi-grain cereal

50
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Sweetened multi-grain cereal receives a safety score of 50/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0038000189234
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 cup (29 g)

What the Data Says About

Sweetened multi-grain cereal carries a composite safety score of 50/100, 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 2 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 multi-grain 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 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

Composite safety metrics for Sweetened multi-grain cereal
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 50/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Corn Flour Blend
3
Whole Grain Yellow Corn Flour
4
Degerminated Yellow Corn Flour
5
Wheat Flour
6
Whole Grain Oat Flour
7
Or Less Of Vegetable Oil
8
Organic Coconut
9
Soybean
10
Cottonseed
11
Palm
12
Oat fiber
Other
Safe
13
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
14
Enriched Flour
15
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
16
Reduced Iron
17
Vitamin B1
18
Thiamin Mononitrate
19
Vitamin B2
20
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
21
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
22
Soluble Corn Fiber
23
Natural Flavor
24
Wheat Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
25
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
26
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
27
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
28
Color Added
29
Bht For Freshness
30
Yellow 6. Vitamins And Minerals: Vitamin C
31
Sodium Ascorbate And Ascorbic Acid
32
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
33
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
34
Vitamin B6
35
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Thiamin Hydrochloride
37
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
38
Vitamin B12
39
Vitamin D3

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, corn flour blend (whole grain yellow corn flour, degerminated yellow corn flour), wheat flour, whole grain oat flour, contains 2% or less of vegetable oil (hydrogenated coconut, soybean and/or cottonseed, palm), oat fiber, salt, enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, vitamin b1 [thiamin mononitrate], vitamin b2 [riboflavin], folic acid), soluble corn fiber, natural flavor, wheat starch, red 40, cornstarch, blue 1, color added, bht for freshness, yellow 6. vitamins and minerals: vitamin c (sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid), niacinamide, reduced iron, zinc oxide, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b1 (thiamin hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin a palmitate, vitamin b12, folic acid, vitamin d3.

Categories

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

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