Safe

Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0072587003378 · Meals. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0072587003378 · Serving size 190 g (190 g)

The verdict

Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken scores 95/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 78 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 78-component record, beginning with Elbows, Durum Wheat Semolina, Vitamins. 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.

95/100
Safe safety score
1
One flagged · of 78 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
C
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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

65/100

Grade B-

Ingredient Safety

95/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

C

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.

87003378 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken label screening desk

SCORE-SAFE 95/100 FLAG-ONE 1 flagged LEN-DENSE 78 ing. REG-SPARSE 18% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-C Nutri-C RANK-SHORT Len top 2% LEAD-FLAG Carrageenan PHOTO-SOLO No peers BOOK-OFF …003378 · July 2026

14 of 78 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Carrageenan). Source sheet 87003378 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology

Screening model notes

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

Within the four-tier shelf-label framework this site publishes, the composite for this product falls in the highest band. That band is defined by a threshold on the derived score alone: it is where labels land once components carrying caution-or-worse registry ratings contribute little or nothing to the deduction. The band is a summary of what the screened registries return for the components that were parsed, so it inherits their coverage gaps — a component absent from both registries neither raises nor lowers the figure. The threshold and the weighting behind it are set out on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score settled on its middle grade here, the band the algorithm produces when the penalty and credit sides of its nutrient ledger come out close to balanced. A mid-scale grade is a statement about the panel as a whole rather than about any single nutrient, and products arrive at it by very different routes: a moderate profile across every term, or high marks on some offset by heavy penalties on others. The grade is computed separately from the ingredient screen below and the two are not comparable measures.

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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 15,626 products we've scored in the Meals category, the average safety score is 93.6/100. Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken scores 1.4 points above that category average (95/100 vs. 93.6/100), so it is roughly typical for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Meals products

Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken lists 78 ingredients on its label

78 98th percentile a longer ingredient list than 98% of the 11,283 products we track

0–2: 12 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 83 products (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 127 products (1%). Below this entry. 6–8: 209 products (2%). Below this entry. 8–10: 312 products (3%). Below this entry. 10–12: 315 products (3%). Below this entry. 12–14: 412 products (4%). Below this entry. 14–16: 477 products (4%). Below this entry. 16–18: 542 products (5%). Below this entry. 18–20: 552 products (5%). Below this entry. 20–22: 545 products (5%). Below this entry. 22–24: 550 products (5%). Below this entry. 24–26: 552 products (5%). Below this entry. 26–28: 552 products (5%). Below this entry. 28–30: 574 products (5%). Below this entry. 30–32: 517 products (5%). Below this entry. 32–34: 466 products (4%). Below this entry. 34–36: 451 products (4%). Below this entry. 36–38: 443 products (4%). Below this entry. 38–40: 388 products (3%). Below this entry. 40–42: 3,204 products (28%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Meals 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

11,283 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 78 (98th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
12 products (0%)
2–4
83 products (1%)
4–6
127 products (1%)
6–8
209 products (2%)
8–10
312 products (3%)
10–12
315 products (3%)
12–14
412 products (4%)
14–16
477 products (4%)
16–18
542 products (5%)
18–20
552 products (5%)
20–22
545 products (5%)
22–24
550 products (5%)
24–26
552 products (5%)
26–28
552 products (5%)
28–30
574 products (5%)
30–32
517 products (5%)
32–34
466 products (4%)
34–36
451 products (4%)
36–38
443 products (4%)
38–40
388 products (3%)
40 and above
3,204 products (28%)

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 11,283 Meals 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

How the 95/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (1 flagged of 78 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Elbows
2
Durum Wheat Semolina
3
Vitamins
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Ferrous Lactate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Thiamin
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Folate
9
Glucose
10
Water
11
Pasteurized Cheddar Cheese
12
Pasteurized Milk
13
Cheese Culture
14
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
Enzymes
16
Sodium Phosphate
17
Milkfat
18
Apocarotenal
19
Color
20
American Cheese
21
Cultured Pasteurized Milk And Skim Milk
22
Buttermilk
23
Milk Fat
24
Milk Protein Concentrate
25
Acetic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
26
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
27
Light Cream
28
Dried Cream Cheese
29
Pasteurized Milk And Cream Cheese Culture
30
Carob Bean Gum
31
Corn Starch
32
Butter
33
Cream
34
Natural Cheddar Cheese Flavor
35
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
36
Whey Solids
37
Cheese Flavor
38
Yeast Extract
39
Onion Powder
40
Spices
41
Nisin Preparation And Annatto
42
Diced Chicken Breast Buffalo Sauce
43
Distilled Vinegar
44
Aged Cayenne Red Peppers
45
Canola Oil
46
Paprika
47
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
48
Natural Butter Type Flavor And Garlic Powder
49
Ranch Dressing
50
Sour Dressing
51
Skim Milk
52
Coconut Oil
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Listed
53
Corn Starch
54
Soybean Oil
55
Mono And Diglycerides
56
Gelatin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
57
Lactic And Citric Acid
58
Guar Gum
59
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
60
Preservative
61
Sunflower Lecithin
62
Natural Flavor
63
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
64
Disodium Phosphate
65
Cultured Low-fat Milk
66
Fat Free Milk
67
Carrageenan And Carob Bean Gum
68
Sour Cream
69
Cultured Pasteurized Light Cream
70
Non-fat Milk
71
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
72
Egg Yolk
73
Dried Vinegar
74
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
75
Onion
76
Spice
77
Calcium Disodium Edta Added To Protect Flavor
78
Black Pepper

Full Ingredient List

Elbows [durum wheat semolina, vitamins (niacin, ferrous lactate, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, glucose), water], pasteurized cheddar cheese [(pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, sodium phosphate, milkfat, salt, apocarotenal (color), american cheese (cultured pasteurized milk and skim milk, buttermilk, milk fat, salt, sodium phosphate, milk protein concentrate, acetic acid, lactic acid, enzymes), light cream, cream cheese (pasteurized milk and cream cheese culture, salt, carob bean gum), modified corn starch, contains 2% or less of: butter (cream, salt), salt, natural cheddar cheese flavor (maltodextrin, whey solids, natural cheese flavor, salt, yeast extract), onion powder, spices, yeast extract, nisin preparation and annatto), diced chicken breast buffalo sauce (distilled vinegar, aged cayenne red peppers, salt, water, canola oil, paprika, xanthan gum, natural butter type flavor and garlic powder), ranch dressing (sour dressing (skim milk, coconut oil, corn starch modified, soybean oil, mono and diglycerides, gelatin, lactic and citric acid, guar gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, natural flavor, carrageenan, disodium phosphate), buttermilk (cultured low-fat milk, fat free milk, modified corn starch, salt, mono and diglycerides, carrageenan and carob bean gum), soybean oil, water, sour cream (cultured pasteurized light cream, non-fat milk, enzymes), sugar, salt, egg yolk, vinegar, garlic, onion, xanthan gum, spice, potassium sorbate (preservative), and calcium disodium edta added to protect flavor), salt, black pepper.

Categories

Meals Pasta dishes

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Carrageenan is the first flagged ingredient selected from Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 78-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Carrageenan. Open Carrageenan
  • Compare Spicy buffalo chicken & elbow pasta mac n' cheese, buffalo chicken'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 0072587003378: 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.