Cheesy Burger Mac

by Chef Boyardee

50
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Cheesy Burger Mac by Chef Boyardee receives a safety score of 50/100 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
0064144048298
Nutri-Score
a
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
253 g, 1 cup

What the Data Says About

Cheesy Burger Mac by Chef Boyardee carries a composite safety score of 50/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Cheesy Burger Mac 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 A 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 Cheesy Burger Mac
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 50/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score A OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water
2
Tomatoes
3
Organic Tomato Puree
4
Enriched Pasta
5
Durum Wheat Semolina
6
Wheat Protein Isolate
7
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
8
Phosphate
9
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
10
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
11
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
12
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
13
Vitamin B1
14
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
15
Vitamin B2
16
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
17
Beef
18
Less Than 2% Of: Modified Corn Starch
19
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
20
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
21
Cheese Blend
22
Enzyme Modified Cheese
23
Cheddar Cheese
24
Sodium Phosphate
25
Enzymes
26
Blue
27
Cheddar
28
Granular And Semi-soft Cheese
29
Pasteurized Milk
30
Cheese Cultures
31
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
32
Butter
33
Cream
34
Milk Protein Concentrate
35
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
36
Vinegar
37
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
38
Tomato Powder
39
Flavorings
40
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
41
Beet Powder
42
Color
43
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
44
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
45
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
46
Wheat Flour
47
Extractives Of Paprika
48
Milk
49
Wheat

Full Ingredient List

Water, Tomatoes (Tomato Puree, Water), Enriched Pasta (Durum Wheat Semolina, Wheat Protein Isolate [Wheat Gluten, Phosphate, Lactic Acid], Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Beef, LESS THAN 2% OF: Modified Corn Starch, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cheese Blend (Enzyme Modified Cheese [Cheddar Cheese, Water, Sodium Phosphate, Enzymes], Blue, Cheddar, Granular and Semi-soft Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Butter [Cream, Salt], Salt, Milk Protein Concentrate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Vinegar), Sugar, Tomato Powder, Flavorings, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Citric Acid, Beet Powder (Color), Sodium Diacetate, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Wheat Flour, Extractives of Paprika. CONTAINS: MILK, 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