broccoli au gratin

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

broccoli au gratin receives a safety score of 95/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient 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
0041415083615
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1/2 cup (114 g)

What the Data Says About

broccoli au gratin carries a composite safety score of 95/100, 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.

Our scan identified 1 flagged ingredient 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, broccoli au gratin 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 broccoli au gratin
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 95/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 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
Broccoli
2
Water
3
Cheese Spread
4
American Cheese
5
Pasteurized Milk
6
Cheese Cultures
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Enzymes
9
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
10
Sodium Phosphate
11
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
12
Skim Milk
13
Milk Fat
14
Annatto And Paprika Extract
15
Color
16
Butter Breading
17
Bread Crumbs
18
Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour {Flour
19
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
20
Reduced Iron
21
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Folic Acid}
24
Distilled Vinegar
25
Vegetable Oil {Canola
26
Soybean
27
Sunflower}
28
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
29
Leavening {Sodium Bicarbonate}
30
Extractives Of Paprika And Annatto {Color}
31
Yeast
32
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
33
Yeast Nutrients {Ammonium Chloride
34
Calcium Sulfate}
35
Spice Extractive
36
Butter
37
Butter {Cream
38
Annatto }
39
Sodium Caseinate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
40
Bha & Bht
41
Natural Butter Flavor
42
With Maltodextrin
43
Nonfat Dry Milk
44
Natural Flavor {With Butterfat}
45
Annatto And Turmeric {Color}

Full Ingredient List

Broccoli, water, cheese spread (american cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], water, whey, sodium phosphate, whey protein concentrate, skim milk, salt, milk fat, annatto and paprika extract [color]), butter breading (bread crumbs [enriched bleached wheat flour {flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid}, distilled vinegar, vegetable oil {canola and/or soybean and/or sunflower}, salt, dextrose, leavening {sodium bicarbonate}, extractives of paprika and annatto {color}, yeast, caramel color, yeast nutrients {ammonium chloride, calcium sulfate}, spice extractive], powdered butter [butter {cream, salt, annatto }, skim milk, whey, sodium caseinate, bha & bht], natural butter flavor (with maltodextrin, nonfat dry milk, natural flavor {with butterfat}, annatto and turmeric {color}]

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