Protein Shake

by HEB

65
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Protein Shake by HEB receives a safety score of 65/100 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
0041220224951
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
325 mL

What the Data Says About

Protein Shake by HEB carries a composite safety score of 65/100, 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, Protein Shake 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.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Protein Shake
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 65/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water
2
Protein Blend
3
Milk Protein Concentrate
4
Milk Protein Isolate
5
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
6
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
7
Organic Cocoa
8
Vitamin And Mineral Blend
9
Calcium Phosphate
10
Magnesium Phosphate
11
Potassium Phosphate
12
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
13
Ferric Orthophosphate
14
Zinc Gluconate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
15
Dl-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
16
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
17
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
18
D-calcium Pantothenate
19
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
20
Copper Citrate
21
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Thiamine Hydrochloride
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Chromium Chloride
25
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
26
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
27
Sodium Molybdate
28
Potassium Jodide
29
Sodium Selenite
30
Phytonadione
31
Cholecalciferol
32
Cyanocobalamin
33
Sunflower Oil
34
Natural And Artificial Flavors
35
Inulin
Other
Safe
36
Mono And Diglycerides
37
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
38
Sodium Hexametaphosphate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
39
Cellulose Gel
40
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
41
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
42
Cellulose Gum
43
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
44
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back

Full Ingredient List

WATER, PROTEIN BLEND (MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MILK PROTEIN ISOLATE, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CALCIUM CASEINATE), COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), VITAMIN AND MINERAL BLEND (CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, DL-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, NIACINAMIDE, MANGANESE SULFATE, D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, COPPER CITRATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, BIOTIN, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, POTASSIUM JODIDE, SODIUM SELENITE, PHYTONADIONE, CHOLECALCIFEROL, CYANOCOBALAMIN), SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, INULIN, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SALT, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, CELLULOSE GEL, SUCRALOSE, CARRAGEENAN, CELLULOSE GUM, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, SUGAR.

Categories

Beverages and beverages preparations Beverages Alcoholic beverages Beers Ales Pale ales India Pale Ale (IPA) Hazy IPA New England IPA Milkshake IPA

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