Avoid

Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies

by Meijer

Scores 25/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 3 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0070882049190 · Serving size 1 cup (33 g)

The verdict

Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies by Meijer scores 25/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 36 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

25/100
Avoid safety score
3
flagged ingredients of 36 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

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

What the Data Says About Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies

Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies by Meijer carries a composite safety score of 25/100, which we classify as "Avoid" 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. This score is a transparent derived index we compute from that public data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement; see the Methodology page for the exact weighting.

Our scan identified 3 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, Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies 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 E 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 Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 25/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 93,264 products we've scored in the Plant-based foods and beverages category, the average safety score is 98.1/100. Sweetened multi-grain cereal, apple crunchies scores 73.1 points below that category average (25/100 vs. 98.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Corn
2
Wheat And Whole Grain Oat Flour
3
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
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
5
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
6
Organic Apple Juice Concentrate
7
Apples
8
Natural Flavor
9
Milled Corn
10
Corn Starch
11
Cinnamon
12
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
13
Baking Soda
14
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
15
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
16
Blue 1. Bht
17
To Preserve Freshness
18
. Vitamins & Minerals
19
Vitamin B1
20
Thiamin Mononitrate
21
Vitamin B2
22
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
25
Vitamin B6
26
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
27
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
28
Vitamin B12
29
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Vitamin C
31
Sodium Ascorbate And Ascorbic Acid
32
Vitamin D
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
33
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
34
Reduced Iron
35
Zinc
36
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Corn, wheat and whole grain oat flour, sugar, corn syrup, salt, apple juice concentrate, dried apples, natural flavor, milled corn, modified corn starch, cinnamon, yellow 6, baking soda, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1. bht (to preserve freshness). vitamins & minerals; vitamin b1 (thiamin mononitrate), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), niacin (niacinamide), vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), folic acid, vitamin b12, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin c (sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid), vitamin d, calcium carbonate, reduced iron, zinc (zinc oxide).

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Cereals and potatoes Cereals and their products

Data Sources

Data as of May 2026. 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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Product figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, and CSPI Chemical Cuisine data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.