CHEF BOYARDEE Spaghetti and Jumbo Meatballs, 14.5 OZ

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

CHEF BOYARDEE Spaghetti and Jumbo Meatballs, 14.5 OZ 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.

Barcode
0064144042135
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 cup (255 g) (255 g)

What the Data Says About

CHEF BOYARDEE Spaghetti and Jumbo Meatballs, 14.5 OZ 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, CHEF BOYARDEE Spaghetti and Jumbo Meatballs, 14.5 OZ 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 CHEF BOYARDEE Spaghetti and Jumbo Meatballs, 14.5 OZ
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

1
Tomatoes
2
Organic Tomato Puree
3
Water
4
Cooked Enriched Spaghetti
5
Enriched Wheat Flour
6
Durum Wheat Semolina
7
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Reduced Iron
9
Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}
10
Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}
11
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
12
Wheat Protein Isolate
13
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
14
Phosphate
15
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
16
Glycerol Monostearate
17
Meatballs
18
Pork
19
Dark Chicken
20
Mechanically Separated Chicken
21
Beef
22
Crackermeal
23
Enriched Wheat Flour {Bleached Wheat Flour
24
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
25
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Folic Acid}
27
Soy Protein Concentrate
28
Textured Vegetable Protein
29
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
30
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
31
Flavorings
32
Soybean Oil
33
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
34
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
35
Less Than 2% Of: Modified Corn Starch
36
Organic Onions
37
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
38
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
39
Romano Cheese From Cow's Milk
40
Part-skim Milk
41
Cheese Cultures
42
Enzymes
43
Potassium Chloride
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
44
Spices
45
Ammonium Chloride
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
46
Yeast Extract
47
Milk
48
Soy
49
Wheat

Full Ingredient List

Tomatoes (Tomato Puree, Water), Cooked Enriched Spaghetti (Water, Enriched Wheat Flour [Durum Wheat Semolina, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid], Wheat Protein Isolate [Wheat Gluten, Phosphate, Lactic Acid], Glycerol Monostearate), Meatballs (Pork, Water, Dark Chicken, Mechanically Separated Chicken, Beef, Crackermeal [Enriched Wheat Flour {Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid}, May Contain Guar Gum], Soy Protein Concentrate, Textured Vegetable Protein [Soy Protein Concentrate, Caramel Color], Salt, Flavorings, Caramel Color, Soybean Oil, Citric Acid), Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, LESS THAN 2% OF: Modified Corn Starch, Dehydrated Onions, Dehydrated Garlic, Salt, Sea Salt, Romano Cheese from Cow's Milk (Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Spices, Ammonium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Flavorings, Lactic Acid. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY, WHEAT

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Cereals and potatoes Cereals and their products Pastas

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