JOS

by Jos

70
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

JOS by Jos receives a safety score of 70/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0073202893541
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
3 Taquitos (85 g)

What the Data Says About

JOS by Jos carries a composite safety score of 70/100, which we classify as "Caution" 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 2 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, JOS 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

Composite safety metrics for JOS
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 70/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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

1
Steak And Cheese Taquito: Ground Corn Masa Flour
2
With Trace Of Lime
3
Water
4
Beef Steak Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese
5
Cultured Milk. Water
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Sodium Phosphate. Cream. Sodium Hexametaphosphate. Sorbic Acid
8
Preservative
9
Artificial Color
10
Lactic Acid. Enzymes
11
Pasilla Sauce
12
Tomato Paste. Dried Pasilla Chili Pepper
13
Dried Anaheim Chili Pepper
14
Salt. Dehydrated Onion
15
Dehydrated Garlic. Crushed Red Pepper. Citric Acid
16
Less That
17
2% Of: Tomatoes
18
Tomatoes. Tomato Juice. Citric Acid
19
Calcium Chloride
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, ENZYME, FIRMING AGENT, FREEZING OR COOLING AGENT, DIRECT CONTACT, FUMIGANT, HUMECTANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING
GRAS
20
Organic Onions
21
Jalapeno Peppers
22
Jalapenos
23
Vinegar
24
Seasoning
25
Chili Pepper
26
Spices. Dehydrated Onion And Garlic
27
Salt Parsley
28
Wheat Flour
29
Moored Food Starch
30
Textured Vegetable Protein
31
Soy Flour
32
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
33
Caramel Color. Coated With: Cheese
34
Pasteurized Milk
35
Cheese Cultures
36
Enzymes
37
Whey Salt
38
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
39
Spices. Tomato Powder
40
Buttermilk Solids
41
Natural Flavors With Extractives Of Paprika
42
Milk
43
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
44
Sodium Caseinate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
45
A Milk Derivative
46
. Citric Acid
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
Onion Powder
49
Garlic Powder. Disodium Inosinate
50
Disodium Cumulate. Lactic Acid
51
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
52
Yellow 6. Prefered In Vegetable Oil

Full Ingredient List

Steak and cheese taquito: ground corn masa flour (with trace of lime), water, beef steak pasteurized process cheddar cheese (cultured milk. water, salt, sodium phosphate. cream. sodium hexametaphosphate. sorbic acid [preservative], artificial color, lactic acid. enzymes), pasilla sauce (tomato paste. dried pasilla chili pepper, dried anaheim chili pepper, salt. dehydrated onion, dehydrated garlic. crushed red pepper. citric acid), contains less that) 2% of: tomatoes (tomatoes. tomato juice. citric acid, calcium chloride), onions, jalapeno peppers (jalapenos, vinegar, salt), seasoning (chili pepper, spices. dehydrated onion and garlic, salt parsley), wheat flour, moored food starch,textured vegetable protein (soy flour, caramel color), salt, caramel color. coated with: cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), whey salt, maltodextrin, spices. tomato powder, buttermilk solids, natural flavors with extractives of paprika (contains milk), autolyzed yeast extract, sodium caseinate (a milk derivative). citric acid, xanthan gum, onion powder, garlic powder. disodium inosinate, disodium cumulate. lactic acid, yellow 5, yellow 6. prefered in vegetable oil .

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