Safe

Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp

by Maruchan

Scores 95/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.

Barcode 0041789501258 · Serving size 64 g (1 cup)

The verdict

Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp by Maruchan scores 95/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 44 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

95/100
Safe safety score
1
flagged ingredient of 44 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
0041789501258
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 Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp

Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp by Maruchan 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. 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 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, Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp 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 Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp
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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 93,264 products we've scored in the Plant-based foods and beverages category, the average safety score is 98.1/100. Maruchan instant lunch with shrimp scores 3.1 points below that category average (95/100 vs. 98.1/100), so it is roughly typical for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Enriched Wheat Flour
2
Wheat Flour
3
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
4
Reduced Iron
5
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
8
Vegetable Oil
9
The Following: Canola
10
Cottonseed
11
Palm
12
Preserved By Tbhq
13
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
14
Dehydrated Vegetables
15
Carrot
16
Green Peas
17
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
18
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
19
Msg
20
Freeze Dried Shrimp
21
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
22
Hydrolyzed Corn
23
Wheat And Soy Protein
24
Yeast Extract
25
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
26
Wheat
27
Soybeans
28
Spices
29
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
30
Potassium Carbonate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
31
Sodium
32
Mono
33
Hexameta
34
Tripoly
35
Phosphate
36
Natural Flavors
37
Sesame Oil
38
Sodium Carbonate
ANTIOXIDANT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
39
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
40
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved
41
Chicken Broth
42
Soya Lecithin
43
Lactose
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
44
Turmeric

Full Ingredient List

Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: canola , cottonseed, palm) preserved by tbhq, salt, dehydrated vegetables (carrot, green peas, garlic), maltodextrin, contains less than 2% of: monosodium glutamate, freeze dried shrimp, sugar, hydrolyzed corn, wheat and soy protein, yeast extract, dehydrated soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt), spices, caramel color, potassium carbonate, sodium (mono, hexameta, and/or tripoly) phosphate, natural flavors, sesame oil, sodium carbonate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, chicken broth, soya lecithin, lactose, turmeric.

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Cereals and potatoes Cereals and their products Dried products Pastas Dried products to be rehydrated Noodles Instant noodles

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.