Caution

Ensure

by Abbott

Scores 85/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis , with 1 flagged ingredient identified.

Barcode 0070074671086

The verdict

Ensure by Abbott scores 85/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 44 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 44-component record, beginning with Water. Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Milk Protein Concentrate. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

85/100
Caution safety score
1
flagged ingredient of 44 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
0070074671086
Barcode (UPC/EAN)

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

60/100

Grade C+

Ingredient Safety

85/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

N/A

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common — source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

74671086 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Ensure label screening desk

SCORE-CAUT 85/100 FLAG-ONE 1 flagged LEN-DENSE 44 ing. REG-PART 50% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-NA Nutri n/a RANK-SHORT Len top 1% LEAD-FLAG Acesulfame Potassium PHOTO-FINISH Crispy Oats & · ±0 BOOK-OFF …671086 · July 2026

Ensure holds 85/100 with 1 flagged of 44 parsed ingredients (2% of the list). 22 of 44 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Acesulfame Potassium). See methodology for how the shelf-label bands are computed. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Crispy Oats & Nuts Snack Bars, Crispy Oats & Nuts · Nearest score peer is Crispy Oats & Nuts Snack Bars, Crispy Oats & Nuts at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the second band of the four-tier framework. That band collects labels whose registry-rated components pull the derived score down measurably without dominating it. Position inside a band is not visible from the band name, and two labels sharing it can differ in how many components were rated and how severely. This is a threshold on an index computed here from public data, not a regulatory classification of any kind; the exact cut-offs are published on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score is not defined for this product's category. The model excludes certain categories by design — among them plain waters, herbs, teas and coffees, and some single-ingredient products — rather than attempting a grade and failing. No nutritional band therefore accompanies the additive screen on this page, and its absence is a property of the category rather than a finding about this particular label. The registry screen below is unaffected by the exclusion and covers additive ratings as normal.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Ensure: 85/1001. Ensure85/1002. Crispy Oats & Nuts Snack Bars, Crispy Oats & Nuts: 85/1002. Crispy Oats & Nuts Snack …85/1003. Hunger smart strawberry shake: 85/1003. Hunger smart strawberry s…85/1004. Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake Creamy Strawberry: 85/1004. Ensure Max Protein nutrit…85/1005. Glucerna protein smart: 85/1005. Glucerna protein smart85/100
High-band neighbours for Ensure (85/100) outside Abbott.
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Ensure
85/100
Crispy Oats & Nuts Snack Bars, Crispy Oats & Nuts
85/100
Hunger smart strawberry shake
85/100
Ensure Max Protein nutrition shake Creamy Strawberry
85/100
Glucerna protein smart
85/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 32,623 products we've scored in the Beverages category, the average safety score is 90.5/100. Ensure scores 5.5 points below that category average (85/100 vs. 90.5/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Beverages and beverages preparations products

Ensure lists 44 ingredients on its label

44 99th percentile a longer ingredient list than 99% of the 4,874 products we track

0–2: 103 products (2%). Below this entry. 2–4: 484 products (10%). Below this entry. 4–6: 475 products (10%). Below this entry. 6–8: 550 products (11%). Below this entry. 8–10: 619 products (13%). Below this entry. 10–12: 595 products (12%). Below this entry. 12–14: 493 products (10%). Below this entry. 14–16: 381 products (8%). Below this entry. 16–18: 272 products (6%). Below this entry. 18–20: 193 products (4%). Below this entry. 20–22: 187 products (4%). Below this entry. 22–24: 134 products (3%). Below this entry. 24–26: 95 products (2%). Below this entry. 26–28: 69 products (1%). Below this entry. 28–30: 56 products (1%). Below this entry. 30–32: 38 products (1%). Below this entry. 32–34: 16 products (0%). Below this entry. 34–36: 22 products (0%). Below this entry. 36–38: 5 products (0%). Below this entry. 38–40: 7 products (0%). Below this entry. 40–42: 80 products (2%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Beverages and beverages preparations product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

4,874 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 44 (99th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
103 products (2%)
2–4
484 products (10%)
4–6
475 products (10%)
6–8
550 products (11%)
8–10
619 products (13%)
10–12
595 products (12%)
12–14
493 products (10%)
14–16
381 products (8%)
16–18
272 products (6%)
18–20
193 products (4%)
20–22
187 products (4%)
22–24
134 products (3%)
24–26
95 products (2%)
26–28
69 products (1%)
28–30
56 products (1%)
30–32
38 products (1%)
32–34
16 products (0%)
34–36
22 products (0%)
36–38
5 products (0%)
38–40
7 products (0%)
40 and above
80 products (2%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 4,874 Beverages and beverages preparations products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

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
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
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
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

High-score cross-brand comparables for Ensure

Neighbours outside Abbott with screening scores in the same high band as Ensure (85/100 here). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Abbott; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Acesulfame Potassium is the first flagged ingredient selected from Ensure's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 44-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Acesulfame Potassium. Open Acesulfame Potassium
  • Compare Ensure's 1 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0070074671086: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.