Jalapeno mozzarella sticks

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Jalapeno mozzarella sticks receives a safety score of 85/100 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.

Barcode
0052649444585
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
2 ONZ (60 g)

What the Data Says About

Jalapeno mozzarella sticks carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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 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, Jalapeno mozzarella sticks 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 E 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 Jalapeno mozzarella sticks
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack And Low-moisture Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
2
Milk
3
Cheese Culture
4
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
5
Enzymes
6
Water
7
Cream
8
Jalapeno Peppers
9
Sodium Phosphates
10
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
11
Preservative
12
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
13
Color
14
Egg Roll Wrappers
15
Bleached Wheat Flour
16
Corn Starch
17
Ascorbic Acid And Citric Acid As Anti-oxidant
18
Potassium Sorbate As Preservative
19
Yellow #5
20
Yellow #6 And Soybean Oil
21
Batter
22
Yellow Corn Flour
23
Food Starch-modified
24
Leavening
25
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
26
Sodium Bicarbonate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
GRAS
27
Carboxymethylcellulose Gum
28
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
29
And Green Bell Pepper Flavored Granules
30
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
31
Wheat Flour {Bleached
32
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
33
Iron
34
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
35
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Folic Acid}
37
Corn Meal
38
Palm Oil
39
Artificial Flavor
40
Yellow # 5
41
Blue # 1
42
Red #40
43
Soybean Oil
44
Fully Refined Soybean Oil

Full Ingredient List

Pasteurized process monterey jack and low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, cream, jalapeno peppers, sodium phosphates, salt, sorbic acid (preservative), titanium dioxide (color), egg roll wrappers [bleached wheat flour, water, salt, corn starch, ascorbic acid and citric acid as anti-oxidant, potassium sorbate as preservative, yellow #5, yellow #6 and soybean oil], batter [water, yellow corn flour, food starch-modified, salt, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), carboxymethylcellulose gum, xanthan gum, and green bell pepper flavored granules (corn syrup, wheat flour {bleached, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid}, corn meal, palm oil, artificial flavor, yellow # 5, blue # 1, red #40)], soybean oil [fully refined soybean oil, dimethylpolysiloxane added as an anti-foaming agent and tbhq added as an anti-oxidant to preserve freshness].

Categories

Frozen foods

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