Protein meal bars, chocolate caramel

by Kellogg's

30
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

Protein meal bars, chocolate caramel by Kellogg's receives a safety score of 30/100 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
0038000531101
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 BAR (45 g)

What the Data Says About

Protein meal bars, chocolate caramel by Kellogg's carries a composite safety score of 30/100, 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, Protein meal bars, chocolate caramel 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 Protein meal bars, chocolate caramel
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 30/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 4 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
Soy Protein Isolate
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Soluble Corn Fiber
4
Vegetable Oil
5
Palm And Palm Kernel Oil With Sorbitan Tristearate
6
Soybean And Palm Oil With Tbhq For Freshness
7
Fructose
Sweetener
Cut Back
8
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
9
Inulin
Other
Safe
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
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
12
Or Less Of Water
13
Rice
14
Whole Grain Wheat
15
Molasses
16
Glycerin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
17
Sorbitol
Sweetener
Cut Back
18
Natural And Artificial Flavors
19
Nonfat Milk
20
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
21
Soy Lecithin
22
Wheat Bran
23
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
24
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
25
Soluble Wheat Fiber
26
Malt Flavor
27
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
28
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
29
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
30
Bht For Freshness
31
Blue 2
Avoid Approved (certified color)
32
Almond Flour
33
Partially Defatted Peanut Flour. Vitamins And Minerals: Calcium Carbonate
34
Vitamin C
35
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
36
Vitamin E
37
Alpha Tocopherol Acetate
38
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
39
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
40
Reduced Iron
41
Vitamin B6
42
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
43
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
44
Vitamin B1
45
Thiamin Hydrochloride
46
Thiamin Mononitrate
47
Vitamin B2
48
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
49
Vitamin B12
50
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
51
Vitamin D3

Full Ingredient List

Soy protein isolate, sugar, soluble corn fiber, vegetable oil (palm and palm kernel oil with sorbitan tristearate, soybean and palm oil with tbhq for freshness), fructose, corn syrup, inulin, dextrose, cocoa processed with alkali, contains 2% or less of water, rice, whole grain wheat, molasses, glycerin, sorbitol, natural and artificial flavors, nonfat milk, salt, soy lecithin, wheat bran, caramel color, whey, soluble wheat fiber, malt flavor, xanthan gum, yellow 6 lake, yellow 5 lake, bht for freshness, blue 2 lake, almond flour, partially defatted peanut flour. vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, vitamin c (ascorbic acid), vitamin e (alpha tocopherol acetate), niacinamide, zinc oxide, reduced iron, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin a palmitate, vitamin b1 (thiamin hydrochloride, thiamin mononitrate), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b12, folic acid, vitamin d3.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Snacks Cereals and potatoes Sweet snacks Cereals and their products Bars Cereal bars es:barras-energeticas es:snaks

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