Southwest style salad with chicken
Scores 30/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 4 flagged ingredients identified.
The verdict
Southwest style salad with chicken scores 30/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 97 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 4 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.
- 30/100
- Avoid safety score
- 4
- flagged ingredients of 97 analyzed
- Group 4
- Ultra-processed
- C
- 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 Southwest style salad with chicken
Southwest style salad with chicken 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. 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 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, Southwest style salad with chicken 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 C 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
| 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 | C | OpenFoodFacts |
Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.
How It Compares to Its Category
Among the 6,247 products we've scored in the Salted-snacks category, the average safety score is 94.8/100. Southwest style salad with chicken scores 64.8 points below that category average (30/100 vs. 94.8/100), 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
Full Ingredient List
Romaine lettuce, lite jalapeno ranch dressing (water, non fat buttermilk whey, water, skim milk powder, corn starch, tapioca starch, carrageenan, locust bean gum, culture], canola oil, sour cream [cultured milk, cream, whey, modified corn starch, sodium phosphate, guar gum, carrageenan, calcium sulfate, locust bean gum], jalapeno peppers, egg yolk, sugar, distilled vinegar, salt, modified corn starch, corn starch, skim milk powder blend [dairy whey, sodium caseinate, skim milk powder], green onion, apple cider vinegar, spices, dried garlic, stabilizer blend [xanthan gum, carrageenan], maltodextrin, dried onion, potassium chloride, dried bell pepper, autolyzed yeast extract, whey powder, skim milk powder, mustard flour, paprika, natural flavors, butter extractives), chicken breast (boneless chicken breast, water, contains 2% or less of the following: soy protein concentrate, sodium lactate, salt, modified corn starch, carrageenan, sodium phosphate [preservative], chili lime tri-colored tortilla strips (corn masa flour, sunflower, safflower and/or canola oil, seasoning [whey, sour cream powder {cream, nonfat dry milk, cultures}, cheddar cheese {milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes}, sea salt, spices, milk, citric acid, buttermilk, tomato powder, corn syrup solids, paprika {color} onion powder, coconut oil, sodium caseinate, garlic powder, lactic acid, lime juice solids, extractive of paprika {color}, natural flavors], red 40, blue 1, blue 2), mild cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto [vegetable color], potato starch and powdered cellulose (to prevent caking), natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]), cooked black beans, roasted corn, pico de gallo (tomato, red onion, green bell pepper, tomato juice [reconstituted tomato juice {water and concentrated juice of tomatoes}, salt, vitamin c {ascorbic acid}], red bell pepper, lime juice, garlic, salt, cilantro).
Categories
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.
Related
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.