BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC & CHEESE BITES
by TRADER JOE'S
BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC & CHEESE BITES by TRADER JOE'S receives a safety score of 100/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. None of the ingredients in this product are flagged for safety concerns by FDA or CSPI databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.
What the Data Says About
BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC & CHEESE BITES by TRADER JOE'S carries a composite safety score of 100/100, 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 did not identify any ingredients in this product that FDA SAFFA or CSPI Chemical Cuisine data flags as requiring caution or avoidance at the time of analysis. That is a meaningful clean-label signal, though it does not account for personal allergens, regional recalls, or inspection findings not reflected in federal additive databases. The per-ingredient breakdown below shows the source-level classification for each component.
On the NOVA processing scale, BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC & CHEESE BITES 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 D 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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 100/100 | FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite |
| Flagged ingredients | 0 | CSPI/FDA review |
| NOVA processing group | Group 4 | OpenFoodFacts |
| Nutri-Score | D | OpenFoodFacts |
Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.
Ingredient Safety Analysis
Full Ingredient List
butternut squash, s heavy cream, enriched macaroni (water, enriched durum wheat flour [semolina, niacin, ferrous g) sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid]), cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, microbial enzyme, beta carotene [color]), batter (yellow corn flour, rice flour, cornstarch, sea salt, cream of % tartar, sodium bicarbonate, garlic powder, onion powder, canola oil, xanthan gum), expeller pressed canola oil, breadcrumbs (wheat flour, sugar, yeast, salt), gouda cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, microbial enzyme, beta carotene [color]), shallots, eggs, water, cornstarch, garlic, butter (pasteurized cream), salt, sage, nutmeg, cane sugar, white pepper, ginger, mustard (water, mustard seeds, vinegar, salt), thyme, annatto extract (color). e* contains milk, egg, wheat. may contain soy.
Categories
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.
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