Caution

Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry

by H-E-B

Scores 70/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 2 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0041220524990 · Serving size 325mL

The verdict

Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry by H-E-B scores 70/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 49 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 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.

70/100
Caution safety score
2
flagged ingredients of 49 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
0041220524990
Barcode (UPC/EAN)

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 Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry

Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry by H-E-B carries a composite safety score of 70/100, which we classify as "Caution" 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 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, Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry 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 Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 70/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 6,533 products we've scored in the Dietary supplements category, the average safety score is 96.5/100. Opti-Meal Protein Shake, Strawberry scores 26.5 points below that category average (70/100 vs. 96.5/100), 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
Fat Free Milk
2
Canola Oil
3
Fructose*
4
Cellulose Gel
5
Cellulose Gum
6
Natural And Artificial Flavors
7
Soy Lecithin
8
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
9
Acesulfame Potassium*
10
Sucralose*
11
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
12
Vitamin And Mineral Blend
13
Potassium Phosphate
14
Potassium Hydroxide
FORMULATION AID, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, WASHING OR SURFACE REMOVAL AGENT
GRAS
15
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
16
Vitamin C
17
Magnesium Phosphate
18
Calcium Phosphate
19
Dl-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
20
Vitamin E
21
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
22
Retinyl Palmitate
23
Vitamin A
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
25
Vitamin B3
26
Ferric Orthophosphate
27
Iron
28
Zinc Gluconate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
29
Sodium Molybdate
30
Molybdenum
31
D-calcium Pantothenate
32
Pantothenic Acid
33
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
34
Thiamine Hydrochloride
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
35
Vitamin B1
36
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
37
Vitamin B6
38
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
39
Chromium Chloride
40
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
41
Vitamin B2
42
Sodium Selenite
43
Phytonadione
44
Vitamin K
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
45
Cyanocobalamin
46
Vitamin B12
47
Cholecalciferol
48
Vitamin D3
49
. *Sweetened With Nutritive And Nonnutritive Sweeteners

Full Ingredient List

FAT FREE MILK, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: CANOLA OIL, FRUCTOSE*, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SOY LECITHIN, CARRAGEENAN, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM*, SUCRALOSE*, RED 3, VITAMIN AND MINERAL BLEND (POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM ASCORBATE [VITAMIN C], MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, DL-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE [VITAMIN E], BIOTIN, RETINYL PALMITATE [VITAMIN A], NIACINAMIDE [VITAMIN B3], FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE [IRON], ZINC GLUCONATE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE [MOLYBDENUM], D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE [PANTOTHENIC ACID], MANGANESE SULFATE, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B1], PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], FOLIC ACID, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], SODIUM SELENITE, PHYTONADIONE [VITAMIN K], CYANOCOBALAMIN [VITAMIN B12], CHOLECALCIFEROL [VITAMIN D3]). *SWEETENED WITH NUTRITIVE AND NONNUTRITIVE SWEETENERS

Categories

Dietary supplements Bodybuilding supplements Protein shakes

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.