Apple jacks

by Kellogg's

0
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

Apple jacks by Kellogg's receives a safety score of 0/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 4 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
0038000191756
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 cup (29 g)

What the Data Says About

Apple jacks by Kellogg's carries a composite safety score of 0/100, 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.

Our scan identified 4 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, Apple jacks 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 Apple jacks
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 0/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 4 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
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
Modified Food Starch
8
Or Less Of Corn Starch
9
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
10
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
11
Vegetable Oil
12
Organic Coconut
13
Soybean
14
Cottonseed
15
Canola
16
Oat fiber
Other
Safe
17
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
18
Soluble Corn Fiber
19
Natural And Artificial Flavor
20
Gelatin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
21
Organic Apple Juice Concentrate
22
Apples
23
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
24
Cinnamon
25
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
26
Baking Soda
27
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
28
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
29
Turmeric Extract Color
30
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
31
Bht For Freshness. Vitamins And Minerals: Vitamin C
32
Sodium Ascorbate And Ascorbic Acid
33
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
34
Reduced Iron
35
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Vitamin B6
37
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
38
Vitamin B2
39
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
40
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
41
Vitamin B1
42
Thiamin Hydrochloride
43
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
44
Vitamin B12
45
Vitamin D3

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, corn flour blend (whole grain yellow corn flour, degerminated yellow corn flour), wheat flour, whole grain oat flour, modified food starch, contains 2% or less of modified corn starch, corn syrup, dextrose, vegetable oil (hydrogenated coconut, soybean and/or cottonseed, canola), oat fiber, salt, soluble corn fiber, natural and artificial flavor, degerminated yellow corn flour, gelatin, apple juice concentrate, dried apples, cornstarch, cinnamon, yellow 6, baking soda, yellow 5, red 40, turmeric extract color, blue 1, bht for freshness. vitamins and minerals: vitamin c (sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid), niacinamide, reduced iron, zinc oxide, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin a palmitate, vitamin b1 (thiamin hydrochloride), folic acid, vitamin b12, vitamin d3.

Categories

Meats and their products Meats Prepared meats

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