Avoid

Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce

by Tacoma Boys, A.M. Braswell Jr. Food Co. Inc.

Scores 45/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 3 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0041695331710 · Serving size 1 tsp (5 ml)

The verdict

Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce by Tacoma Boys, A.M. Braswell Jr. Food Co. Inc. scores 45/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 23 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 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.

45/100
Avoid safety score
3
flagged ingredients of 23 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
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 Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce

Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce by Tacoma Boys, A.M. Braswell Jr. Food Co. Inc. carries a composite safety score of 45/100, 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 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, Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce 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 E 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 Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 45/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 35,367 products we've scored in the Condiments category, the average safety score is 98.6/100. Tacoma boys, mean jean's 3-pepper hot sauce scores 53.6 points below that category average (45/100 vs. 98.6/100), 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
Water
2
Distilled Vinegar
3
Green Bell Peppers
4
Jalapeno Peppers
5
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
6
Lemon Juice
7
Filtered Water
8
Lemon Juice Concentrate
9
Sodium Bisulfite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
10
Preservative
11
And Lemon Oil
12
Cane Sugar
13
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
14
Minced Onion
15
Onion Powder
16
Polysorbate 80
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
17
Dehydrated Habanero Powder
18
Erythorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
19
Capsicum And Green Food Coloring
20
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
21
Blue 1
Caution Approved (certified color)
22
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
23
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

Full Ingredient List

Water, distilled vinegar, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, salt, lemon juice (filtered water, lemon juice concentrate, sodium bisulfite (preservative) and lemon oil), cane sugar, xanthan gum, minced onion, onion powder, polysorbate 80, habanero powder, erythorbic acid, capsicum and green food coloring (water, fd&c yellow no. 5, fd&c blue no. 1, citric acid, sodium benzoate)

Categories

Condiments Sauces Hot sauces Groceries

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.