Beef, Bean & Cheese Flavor Chimichangas

by El Monterey

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Beef, Bean & Cheese Flavor Chimichangas by El Monterey receives a safety score of 95/100 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
0071007014673
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 CHIMICHANGA (108 g)

What the Data Says About

Beef, Bean & Cheese Flavor Chimichangas by El Monterey carries a composite safety score of 95/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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, Beef, Bean & Cheese Flavor Chimichangas 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 C 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 Beef, Bean & Cheese Flavor Chimichangas
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 95/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score C OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water Wheat Flour Enriched Wheat Flour
2
Enriched With Niacin
3
Reduced Iron
4
Thiamin Mononitrate
5
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
7
Beef Beans Vegetable Oil
8
Soybean
9
Canola
10
Corn Oil
11
Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese
12
Cheddar Cheese
13
Milk
14
Cheese Culture
15
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
16
Enzymes
17
Water
18
Sodium Phosphate
19
Milkfat
20
Sodium Hexametaphosphate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
21
Vegetable Color
22
Annatto And Paprika Oleoresin
23
Or Less Textured Vegetable Protein
24
Soy Flour
25
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
26
Isolated Pea Product
27
Spices
28
With Paprika
29
Dough Conditioners
30
Yeast
31
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
32
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
33
Guar Gum
34
Modified Food Starch
35
Sodium Metabisulfite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FREEZING OR COOLING AGENT, DIRECT CONTACT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT
GRAS
36
Cheese Flavor
37
With Safflower Oil
38
Natural Flavor
39
Savory Flavor
40
Yeast Extract
41
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
42
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
43
Wheat
44
Soybeans
45
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
46
Natural Flavors

Full Ingredient List

Water wheat flour enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), beef beans vegetable oil (soybean, canola and/or corn oil), pasteurized process cheddar cheese pasteurized process cheddar cheese (cheddar cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, sodium phosphate, milkfat, sodium hexametaphosphate, salt, vegetable color [annatto and paprika oleoresin]), contains 2% or less textured vegetable protein (soy flour, caramel color), isolated pea product, spices (with paprika), salt, dough conditioners (yeast, wheat gluten, sugar, guar gum, modified food starch, sodium metabisulfite), cheese flavor (with safflower oil), flavor, savory flavor (yeast extract, water, lactic acid, soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt), maltodextrin, salt, natural flavors).

Categories

Frozen foods

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