Ensure

by Abbott

70
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Ensure by Abbott receives a safety score of 70/100 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
0070074680613
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed

What the Data Says About

Ensure by Abbott carries a composite safety score of 70/100, 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 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 70/100 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
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
3
Milk Protein Concentrate
4
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
5
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
6
Canola Oil
7
Soy Protein Isolate
8
Soluble Corn Fiber
9
Short-chain Fructooligosaccharides. Less Than 0.5% Of: Minerals
10
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
11
Magnesium Phosphate
12
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
13
Choline Chloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
14
Sodium Phosphate
15
Potassium Phosphate
16
Sodium Citrate
17
Potassium Hydroxide
FORMULATION AID, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, WASHING OR SURFACE REMOVAL AGENT
GRAS
18
Dl-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
19
Zinc Sulfate
MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
20
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
21
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
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
Thiamine Hydrochloride
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
27
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Copper Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
29
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
31
Phylloquinone
32
Potassium Iodide
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, TRACER
GRAS
33
Sodium Selenate
34
Chromium Chloride
35
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
36
Vitamin D3
37
Sodium Molybdate
38
Vitamin B12
39
Corn Oil
40
Natural & Artificial Flavors
41
Cellulose Gel
42
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
43
Monoglycerides
44
Soy Lecithin
45
Cellulose Gum
46
Gellan Gum
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
47
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
48
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
49
And Red 3

Full Ingredient List

Water, Corn Syrup, Milk Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Calcium Caseinate, Canola Oil, Soy Protein Isolate, Soluble Corn Fiber, Short-chain Fructooligosaccharides. Less than 0.5% of: MINERALS (Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Choline Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Hydroxide, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Phylloquinone, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Vitamin D3, Sodium Molybdate, Vitamin B12), Corn Oil, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Salt, Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Gellan Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, and Red 3.

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