Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake

by Ensure

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake by Ensure receives a safety score of 80/100 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
0070074668925
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 carton (325.308 g)

What the Data Says About

Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake by Ensure 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.

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, Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake 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 Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake
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.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water
2
Milk Protein Concentrate
3
Colombian Coffee Extract
4
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
5
Soluble Corn Fiber
6
Less Than 0.5% Of Vitamins And Minerals
7
Short-chain Fructooligosaccharides Cellulose Gel
8
Natural And Artificial Flavor
9
Refined High Oleic Sunflower Oil
10
Cellulose Gum
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
13
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
14
And Sucralose Vitamins And Minerals: Magnesium Phosphate
15
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
16
Potassium Phosphate
17
Sodium Phosphate
18
Choline Chloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
19
Potassium Hydroxide Ferrous Sulfate
20
Zinc Sulfate
MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
21
Dl-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
22
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Calcium Pantothenate. Manganese Sulfate
24
Co: Per Sulfate
25
Thiamine Su Hydrochloride
26
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride Riboflavin
27
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
29
Chromium Chloride
30
Phylloquinone
31
Sodium Molybdate
32
Potassium Iodide
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, TRACER
GRAS
33
Sodium Selenate
34
Vitamin D3
35
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
36
Vitamin B12
37
Milk Ingredients. Caffeine Content: 100mg Of Caffeine/serving 0-986-8727

Full Ingredient List

WATER, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, COLOMBIAN COFFEE EXTRACT, CALCIUM CASEINATE, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER; LESS THAN 0.5% OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS, SHORT-CHAIN FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES CELLULOSE GEL, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, HIGH OLEIC SUNFLOWER OIL, CELLULOSE GUM, SALT, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, CARRAGEENAN, AND SUCRALOSE VITAMINS AND MINERALS: MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE FERROUS SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, dl-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, NIACINAMIDE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE. MANGANESE SULFATE, CO: PER SULFATE, THIAMINE SU HYDROCHLORIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE RIBOFLAVIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, FOLIC ACID, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, PHYLLOQUINONE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, SODIUM SELENATE, VITAMIN D3, BIOTIN, VITAMIN B12. CONTAINS MILK INGREDIENTS. CAFFEINE CONTENT: 100mg of Caffeine/serving 0-986-8727; se habla or visit Ensure.com information. GLUTEN-FREE SUITABLE FOR LACTOSE INTOLERANCE. NOT FOR PEOPLE WITH GALACTOSEMIA

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