Tuscan Salad Kit

by Fresh Express

55
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 3 flagged ingredients

Tuscan Salad Kit by Fresh Express receives a safety score of 55/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 3 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
0071279407104
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
5.75 ONZ (163 g)

What the Data Says About

Tuscan Salad Kit by Fresh Express carries a composite safety score of 55/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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 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, Tuscan Salad Kit 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 Tuscan Salad Kit
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 55/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 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
Salad: Romaine Lettuce
2
Red Cabbage
3
Dressing: Water
4
Soybean Oil
5
Distilled Vinegar
6
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Dried Garlic Parmesan Cheese
9
Part Skim Milk
10
Culture
11
Enzymes
12
Onion
13
Dehydrated Bell Pepper
14
Cellulose Gel
15
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
16
Spice Potassium Sorbate
17
Preservative
18
Natural Flavor
19
Carrageenan Gum
20
Pepitas: Pumpkin Seeds
21
Cottonseed Oil
22
Canola Oil
23
Safflower Oil
24
Salami: Pork
25
Beef
26
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
27
Spices
28
Wine
29
Lactic Acid Starter Culture
30
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
31
Flavoring
32
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
33
BHA
Avoid GRAS
34
BHT
Caution GRAS
35
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
36
Cheese: Romano Type Cheese
37
Pasteurized Cow's Milk
38
Cheese Culture
39
Parmesan Type Cheese
40
Pasteurized Milk
41
Medium Asiago Cheese
42
Potato Starch And Powdered Cellulose
43
To Prevent Caking
44
Natamycin
FUMIGANT
Safe Approved
45
A Natural Mold Inhibitor

Full Ingredient List

Salad: romaine lettuce, red cabbage, dressing: water, soybean oil, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, dried garlic parmesan cheese (part skim milk, culture, salt, enzymes), dried onion, dried bell pepper, cellulose gel, xanthan gum, spice potassium sorbate (preservative), natural flavor, carrageenan gum, pepitas: pumpkin seeds, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil and/or safflower oil, salt, salami: pork, beef, salt, dextrose, spices, wine, lactic acid starter culture, sodium ascorbate, flavoring, sodium nitrite, bha, bht, citric acid, cheese: romano type cheese (pasteurized cow's milk, salt, cheese culture, enzymes), parmesan type cheese (pasteurized milk, salt, cheese culture, enzymes), medium asiago cheese (pasteurized milk, salt, cheese culture, enzymes), potato starch and powdered cellulose (to prevent caking), natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor).

Categories

Salted-snacks

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