Safe

Opti-Meal Protein Meal Bar

by H-E-B

Scores 100/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis , with no flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0041220976249 · Serving size 1 BAR (45 g)

The verdict

Opti-Meal Protein Meal Bar by H-E-B scores 100/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 56 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 0 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.

100/100
Safe safety score
0
flagged ingredients of 56 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
D
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

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 Meal Bar

Opti-Meal Protein Meal Bar by H-E-B carries a composite safety score of 100/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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 did not identify any ingredients in this product that FDA SAFFA or CSPI Chemical Cuisine data flags as requiring caution or avoidance at the time of analysis. That is a meaningful clean-label signal, though it does not account for personal allergens, regional recalls, or inspection findings not reflected in federal additive databases. The per-ingredient breakdown below shows the source-level classification for each component.

On the NOVA processing scale, Opti-Meal Protein Meal Bar 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 Opti-Meal Protein Meal Bar
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 100/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 0 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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 94,909 products we've scored in the Snacks category, the average safety score is 87.4/100. Opti-Meal Protein Meal Bar scores 12.6 points above that category average (100/100 vs. 87.4/100), so it is a comparatively strong pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Soy Rice Crisps
2
Isolated soy protein
Other
Safe
3
Rice Flour
4
Barley Malt Extract
5
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
6
Coating
7
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
8
Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil
9
Cocoa Powder
10
Whey Powder
11
Nonfat Milk Powder
12
Soy Lecithin
13
Vanilla Flavor
14
Invert Sugar
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back GRAS
15
Polydextrose
FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back Approved
16
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
17
Inulin From Chicory Root
18
Crisp Rice
19
Milled Rice
20
Rice Bran Extract
21
Tocopherols
ANTIOXIDANT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Antioxidant
23
Caramel Flavored Chips
24
Palm Kernel And Palm Oil
25
Whole Milk Solids
26
Nonfat Dry Milk Solids
27
Artificial Color
28
Yellow Lake 5
29
Yellow Lake 6
30
Blue Lake 2
31
Artificial Flavor
32
Emulsifier
33
Natural Flavor
34
Soy Protein Isolate
35
Soy Oil
36
Or Less Of Glycerine
37
Natural & Artificial Flavor
38
Caramelized Sugar
39
Acacia Gum
40
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
41
Sodium Benzoate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
42
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
43
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
44
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
45
Vitamin E Acetate
46
Synthetic
47
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
48
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
49
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
50
Encapsulated Reduced Iron
51
Vitamin B12
52
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
53
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
54
Thiamin Hydrochloride
55
Vitamin D3
56
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved

Full Ingredient List

Soy rice crisps (isolated soy protein, rice flour, barley malt extract, salt), coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, whey powder, nonfat milk powder, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor), invert sugar, polydextrose, corn syrup, inulin from chicory root, crisp rice (milled rice, sugar, barley malt extract, salt, rice bran extract, tocopherols [antioxidant]), caramel flavored chips (sugar, palm kernel and palm oil, whole milk solids, nonfat dry milk solids, artificial color (yellow lake 5, yellow lake 6, blue lake 2), artificial flavor, soy lecithin (emulsifier), salt, natural flavor), soy protein isolate, soy oil, contains 2% or less of glycerine, natural & artificial flavor, caramelized sugar, acacia gum, soy lecithin, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, calcium carbonate, maltodextrin, ascorbic acid, vitamin e acetate (synthetic), niacinamide, vitamin a palmitate, zinc oxide, encapsulated reduced iron, vitamin b12, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamin hydrochloride, vitamin d3, folic acid.

Categories

Snacks

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.