Caution

Chef salad

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0042704034318 · Salted-snacks. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0042704034318 · Serving size 1 CONTAINER (220 g)

The verdict

Chef salad scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 55 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 55-component record, beginning with Iceberg Lettuce, Ranch Dressing, Soybean Oil. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
Few flagged · of 55 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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

58/100

Grade C

Ingredient Safety

80/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

C

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

04034318 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Chef salad label screening desk

SCORE-CAUT 80/100 FLAG-FEW 2 flagged LEN-DENSE 55 ing. REG-SPARSE 29% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-C Nutri-C RANK-SHORT Len top 3% LEAD-FLAG Phosphoric Acid PHOTO-SOLO No peers BOOK-OFF …034318 · July 2026

16 of 55 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Phosphoric Acid). Source sheet 04034318 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the second band of the four-tier framework. That band collects labels whose registry-rated components pull the derived score down measurably without dominating it. Position inside a band is not visible from the band name, and two labels sharing it can differ in how many components were rated and how severely. This is a threshold on an index computed here from public data, not a regulatory classification of any kind; the exact cut-offs are published on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score settled on its middle grade here, the band the algorithm produces when the penalty and credit sides of its nutrient ledger come out close to balanced. A mid-scale grade is a statement about the panel as a whole rather than about any single nutrient, and products arrive at it by very different routes: a moderate profile across every term, or high marks on some offset by heavy penalties on others. The grade is computed separately from the ingredient screen below and the two are not comparable measures.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 6,228 products we've scored in the Salted-snacks category, the average safety score is 94.1/100. Chef salad scores 14.1 points below that category average (80/100 vs. 94.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Salted-snacks products

Chef salad lists 55 ingredients on its label

55 97th percentile a longer ingredient list than 97% of the 5,429 products we track

0–2: 3 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 222 products (4%). Below this entry. 4–6: 793 products (15%). Below this entry. 6–8: 689 products (13%). Below this entry. 8–10: 1,036 products (19%). Below this entry. 10–12: 817 products (15%). Below this entry. 12–14: 570 products (10%). Below this entry. 14–16: 243 products (4%). Below this entry. 16–18: 168 products (3%). Below this entry. 18–20: 67 products (1%). Below this entry. 20–22: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 22–24: 30 products (1%). Below this entry. 24–26: 41 products (1%). Below this entry. 26–28: 32 products (1%). Below this entry. 28–30: 36 products (1%). Below this entry. 30–32: 41 products (1%). Below this entry. 32–34: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 34–36: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 36–38: 46 products (1%). Below this entry. 38–40: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 40–42: 407 products (7%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Salted-snacks product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

5,429 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 55 (97th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
3 products (0%)
2–4
222 products (4%)
4–6
793 products (15%)
6–8
689 products (13%)
8–10
1,036 products (19%)
10–12
817 products (15%)
12–14
570 products (10%)
14–16
243 products (4%)
16–18
168 products (3%)
18–20
67 products (1%)
20–22
47 products (1%)
22–24
30 products (1%)
24–26
41 products (1%)
26–28
32 products (1%)
28–30
36 products (1%)
30–32
41 products (1%)
32–34
47 products (1%)
34–36
47 products (1%)
36–38
46 products (1%)
38–40
47 products (1%)
40 and above
407 products (7%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 5,429 Salted-snacks products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 80/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (2 flagged of 55 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Iceberg Lettuce
2
Ranch Dressing
3
Soybean Oil
4
Water
5
Buttermilk
6
Cultured Pasteurized Organic Skim Milk And Milk
7
Sodium Citrate And Salt
8
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
9
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
10
Egg Yolks
11
Distilled Vinegar
12
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
13
Onion
14
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
15
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
16
Sour Cream
17
Cream
18
Nonfat Milk
19
Cultures
20
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
21
As Preservatives
22
Phosphoric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
Cut Back GRAS
23
Spice
24
Includes Mustard
25
Dehydrated Parsley
26
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
27
Cultured Nonfat Milk
28
Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate
29
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
30
Calcium Disodium Edta
31
Added To Protect Flavor
32
Smoked Turkey Breast
33
Or Less Of Salt
34
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
35
Corn Starch
36
Sodium Lactate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, WASHING OR SURFACE REMOVAL AGENT
GRAS
37
Sodium Phosphate
38
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
39
Flavoring
40
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
41
Mesquite Smoke Flavor
42
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
43
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
44
Smoked Ham Water Added
45
Cured With Water
46
Sodium Phosphates
47
Flavoring
48
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
49
Swiss Cheese
50
Pasteurized Milk
51
Cheese Culture
52
Enzymes
53
Potato Starch And Powdered Cellulose
54
Natamycin
FUMIGANT
Safe Approved
55
Natural Mold Inhibitor

Full Ingredient List

Iceberg lettuce, ranch dressing (soybean oil, water, buttermilk [cultured pasteurized skim milk and milk, sodium citrate and salt], maltodextrin, sugar, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, salt, contains less than 2% of onion*, xanthan gum, garlic*, sour cream* [cream, nonfat milk, cultures], sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate [as preservatives], phosphoric acid, spice [includes mustard], parsley*, citric acid, cultured nonfat milk, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, autolyzed yeast extract, calcium disodium edta [added to protect flavor]), smoked turkey breast (cured with: water, contains 2% or less of salt, dextrose, modified corn starch, sodium lactate, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, natural flavoring, sodium diacetate, natural mesquite smoke flavor, ascorbic acid, sodium nitrite, citric acid), smoked ham water added (cured with water, sugar, contains 2% or less of salt, sodium lactate, sodium phosphates, flavoring, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite), swiss cheese ([pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], potato starch and powdered cellulose [to prevent caking], natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]).

Categories

Salted-snacks

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Phosphoric Acid is the first flagged ingredient selected from Chef salad's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 55-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Phosphoric Acid. Open Phosphoric Acid
  • Compare Chef salad's 2 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0042704034318: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.