BARBACOA-STYLE BEEF BLACK BEANS, REDUCED FAT CHEESES, ZESTY QUESO SAUCE IN A SOFT CRUST
by HOT POCKETS
Contains 1 flagged ingredient
BARBACOA-STYLE BEEF BLACK BEANS, REDUCED FAT CHEESES, ZESTY QUESO SAUCE IN A SOFT CRUST by HOT POCKETS 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.
What the Data Says About
BARBACOA-STYLE BEEF BLACK BEANS, REDUCED FAT CHEESES, ZESTY QUESO SAUCE IN A SOFT CRUST by HOT POCKETS 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, BARBACOA-STYLE BEEF BLACK BEANS, REDUCED FAT CHEESES, ZESTY QUESO SAUCE IN A SOFT CRUST 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 | 95/100 | FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite |
| Flagged ingredients | 1 | 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.
Ingredient Safety Analysis
Full Ingredient List
WATER, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN), COOKED BEEF STEAK, CARAMEL COLOR (CONTAINS UP TO 14% SOLUTION OF WATER, SALT, SEASONING EXTRACT, MALTODEXTRIN, FLAVORS, BEEF STOCK, SUNFLOWER OIL, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, BEEF FAT), REDUCED FAT MOZZARELLA CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, NONFAT MILK, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, ENZYMES), REDUCED FAT CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED SKIM MILK, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, CULTURES, SALT, FLAVORS, POTASSIUM SALT, ANNATTO, VITAMIN A PALMITATE), VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR PALM OIL AND/OR FRACTIONATED CANOLA OIL), MILK PROTEIN ISOLATE, WHEAT GLUTEN, BLACK BEANS, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH (2% OR LESS), SUGAR, MALTO COUGH CONDITIONER BLEND (CALCIUM SULFATE, SALT, L-CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE, GARLIC POWDER, ENZYMES), NONFAT DRY MILK, WHITE VINEGAR, CORN STARCH, BUTTERMILK, CORN SYRUP, CILANTRO, BLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, COCONUT OIL, DRIED CHIPOTLE PEPPER, CHEESE (CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), SODIUM CASEINATE, ANNATTO, TURMERIC COLOR, DRIED GARLIC, LACTIC ACID, CREAM CHEESE (MILK, SALT, CULTURES, ENZYMES), CAYENNE PEPPER, CHILI PEPPER, PAPRIKA EXTRACT, PARMESAN CHEESE (CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), RICE HULLS, SPICES, ENZYME MODIFIED CHEDDAR CHEESE, SOY LECITHIN, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, ENZYME MODIFIED MILK FAT, CALCIUM LACTATE, SOY FLOUR, ACETIC ACID, CALCIUM HYDROXIDE, DRIED ONION, MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, METHYLCELLULOSE, EGG WHITES. CONTAINS: EGG, WHEAT, MILK, SOY.
Categories
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.
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