Ensure

by Abbott

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Ensure by Abbott 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
0070074671086
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed

What the Data Says About

Ensure by Abbott 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, Ensure 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
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 Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water. Corn Maltodextrin
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Milk Protein Concentrate
4
Blend Of Vegetable Oils
5
Canola
6
Corn
7
Soy Protein Isolate Nonfat Milk
8
Less Than 0.5% Of: Vitamins And Minerals
9
Natural And Artificial Flavor
10
Cellulose Gel
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Cellulose Gum
13
Soy Lecithin
14
Monoglycerides
15
Carraseenan
16
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
17
And Sucralose. Vitamins And Minerals: Potassium Citrate
18
Magnesium Phosphate
19
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
20
Sodium Citrate
21
Calcium Phosphate
22
Choline Chloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
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
24
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
25
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
26
Ce-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
27
Zinc Sulfate
MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
29
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
31
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
32
Thiamine Hydrochloride
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
33
Copper Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
34
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
35
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
37
Chromium Chloride
38
Potassium Iodide
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, TRACER
GRAS
39
Sodium Selenate
40
Sodium Molybdate
41
Phylloquinone
42
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
43
Vitamin D
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
44
Vitamin B

Full Ingredient List

Water. corn maltodextrin, sugar, milk protein concentrate, blend of vegetable oils (canola, corn), soy protein isolate nonfat milk, less than 0.5% of: vitamins and minerals, natural and artificial flavor, cellulose gel, salt, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, monoglycerides, carraseenan, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. vitamins and minerals: potassium citrate, magnesium phosphate, calcium carbonate, sodium citrate, calcium phosphate, choline chloride, ascorbic acid, potassium chloride, ferrous sulfate, ce-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, zinc sulfate, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine hydrochloride, copper sulfate, riboflavin, vitamin a palmitate, folic acid, chromium chloride, potassium iodide, sodium selenate, sodium molybdate, phylloquinone, biotin, vitamin d, vitamin b.

Categories

Beverages and beverages preparations Beverages Meals Meal replacements

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