Caution

Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate

by Carnation

Scores 80/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 2 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0050000540426 · Serving size 1 PACKET (20 g)

The verdict

Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate by Carnation scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 32 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 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.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
flagged ingredients of 32 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
0050000540426
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 Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate

Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate by Carnation 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. 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 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, Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate 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 Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate
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 Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 49,768 products we've scored in the Beverages category, the average safety score is 94.1/100. Carnation instant breakfast no sugar added chocolate 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 Safety Analysis

1
Non Fat Milk
2
Inulin
Other
Safe
3
From Chicory
4
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
5
Vitamins & Minerals
6
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
7
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
8
Natural And Artificial Flavor
9
Soy Lecithin
10
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
11
Acesulfame Potassium. Vitamins & Minerals: Calcium Phosphate
12
Magnesium Hydroxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
13
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
14
Vitamin C
15
Ferric Orthophosphate
16
Iron
17
Alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
18
Vitamin E
19
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
20
Copper Gluconate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SYNERGIST
GRAS
21
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
25
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Vitamin B6
27
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
29
Vitamin K1
30
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
31
Vitamin D3
32
Vitamin B12

Full Ingredient List

Non fat milk, inulin (from chicory), cocoa processed with alkali, vitamins & minerals, maltodextrin, carrageenan, natural and artificial flavor, soy lecithin, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. vitamins & minerals: calcium phosphate, magnesium hydroxide, sodium ascorbate (vitamin c), ferric orthophosphate (iron), alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin e), niacinamide, copper gluconate, zinc oxide, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, vitamin a palmitate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), thiamine mononitrate, biotin, vitamin k1, folic acid, vitamin d3, vitamin b12.

Categories

Beverages Dried products Dried products to be rehydrated Dehydrated beverages

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.