Drink packets

by Propel

70
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Drink packets by Propel receives a safety score of 70/100 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
0052000063981
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
3g

What the Data Says About

Drink packets by Propel carries a composite safety score of 70/100, 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, Drink packets 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 Drink packets
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 70/100 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.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
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
2
Sodium Citrate
3
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
4
Citicoline
5
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
6
Monopotassium Phosphate
7
Caffeine
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
8
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
9
Vitamin C
10
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
11
Modified Food Starch
12
Silicon Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT
Safe GRAS
13
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
14
Vitamin B3
15
Natural Flavor
16
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
17
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
18
Vitamin B5
19
Calcium Disodium Edta
20
Vitamin E Acetate
21
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Vitamin B6
23
Calcium Phosphate
24
Cyanocobalamin
25
Vitamin B12

Full Ingredient List

CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, SALT, CITICOLINE, MALTODEXTRIN, MONOPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CAFFEINE, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), SUCRALOSE, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SILICON DIOXIDE, NIACINAMIDE (VITAMIN B3), NATURAL FLAVOR, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE (VITAMIN B5), CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA, VITAMIN E ACETATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CYANOCOBALAMIN (VITAMIN B12).

Categories

Beverages and beverages preparations Beverages Dried products Dried products to be rehydrated Dehydrated beverages Drink-packet

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