Caesar salad with caesar dressing

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Caesar salad with caesar dressing receives a safety score of 80/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 ingredients 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
0045009854148
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 CONTAINER (227 g)

What the Data Says About

Caesar salad with caesar dressing carries a composite safety score of 80/100, which we classify as "Caution" 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 2 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, Caesar salad with caesar dressing 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

Composite safety metrics for Caesar salad with caesar dressing
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 80/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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

1
Romaine Lettuce
2
Dressing
3
Soybean Or Canola Oil
4
Water
5
Parmesan Cheese
6
Pasteurized Organic Part Skim Milk
7
Cheese Cultures
8
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
9
Enzymes
10
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
11
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
12
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
13
Distilled Vinegar
14
Eggs
15
Mustard
16
Vinegar
17
Mustard Seed
18
White Wine
19
Fruit Pectin
20
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
21
Tartaric acid
Preservative
Safe
22
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
23
Spice
24
Natural Flavor
25
Anchovy Paste
26
Anchovy
27
Olive Oil
28
Acetic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
29
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
30
Spices
31
Onion
32
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
33
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
34
Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate
35
As Preservatives
36
Asiago Cheese
37
Pasteurized Milk
38
Cheese Culture
39
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
40
To Prevent Caking
41
Lemons
42
Croutons
43
Enriched Flour
44
Wheat Flour
45
Malted Barley Flour
46
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
47
Reduced Iron
48
Thiamin Mononitrate
49
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
50
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
51
Canola
52
Sunflower Oil
53
Yeast
54
2% Or Less Of High Fructose Corn Syrup
55
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
56
Garlic Powder
57
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
58
Onion Powder
59
Torula yeast
Flavoring
Safe
60
Part - Skim Milk
61
Cultures
62
Natural Flavors
63
Milk
64
Cultured Whey
65
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
66
Preservative
67
Corn Syrup Solids
68
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
69
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved
70
Soy Sauce Solids
71
Wheat
72
Soybeans
73
Tamarinds
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Listed
74
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
75
TBHQ
Preservative
Avoid Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)
76
To Preserve Freshness

Full Ingredient List

Romaine lettuce, dressing (soybean or canola oil, water, parmesan cheese [pasteurized part skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, powdered cellulose, sorbic acid], extra virgin olive oil, distilled vinegar, eggs, mustard [water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, white wine, fruit pectin, citric acid, tartaric acid, sugar, spice], salt, natural flavor, anchovy paste [anchovy, salt, olive oil, acetic acid], dehydrated garlic, spices, dehydrated onion, xanthan gum, caramel color, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate [as preservatives]), asiago cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, cellulose [to prevent caking]), lemons, croutons (enriched flour, [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], canola and/or sunflower oil, salt, yeast, 2% or less of high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, garlic powder, whey, onion powder, spices, torula yeast, parmesan cheese [part - skim milk, cultures, salt, enzymes], natural flavors [milk], cultured whey, calcium propionate [preservative], citric acid, corn syrup solids, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, caramel color, sugar, soy sauce solids [wheat, soybeans, salt], tamarinds, enzymes, ascorbic acid, tbhq [to preserve freshness]).

Categories

Salted-snacks

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