Monterey jack & cheddar

by Go Veggie

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Monterey jack & cheddar by Go Veggie 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
0077172667744
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.25 cup (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Monterey jack & cheddar by Go Veggie 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, Monterey jack & cheddar 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 Monterey jack & cheddar
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 D OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Filtered Water
2
Casein*
3
Milk Protein
4
Canola Oil
5
Potato Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Sodium Phosphate
8
Rice Flour
9
Tapioca Starch
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
10
Potato Starch And Powdered Cellulose Added To Prevent Caking
11
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
12
Non-dairy
13
Natural Flavor
14
Sodium Citrate
15
Calcium Phosphate
16
Milk
17
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
18
Preservative
19
Isolated soy protein
Other
Safe
20
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
21
Mono And Diglycerides
22
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
23
Soymilk Powder
24
Yeast Extract
25
Yeast
26
Apo Carotenal Color
27
Cheese Culture
28
Enzymes
29
Natamycin
FUMIGANT
Safe Approved
30
A Natural Mold Inhibitor
31
Vitamins And Minerals. Vitamins And Minerals: Vitamin E
32
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
33
Vitamin C
34
Ferric Orthophosphate
35
Vitamin B12
36
Vitamin D3
37
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
38
Vitamin B6
39
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
40
Vitamin B2

Full Ingredient List

Filtered water, casein* (milk protein), canola oil, modified potato starch, salt, sodium phosphate, rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch and powdered cellulose added to prevent caking, lactic acid (non-dairy), natural flavor, sodium citrate, calcium phosphate, milk, sorbic acid (preservative), isolated soy protein, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, autolyzed yeast extract, soymilk powder, yeast extract, dried yeast, apo carotenal color, cheese culture, enzymes, sodium phosphate, natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor), vitamins and minerals. vitamins and minerals: vitamin e, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin c, ferric orthophosphate, vitamin b12, vitamin d3, folic acid, vitamin b6, riboflavin (vitamin b2).

Categories

Dairies Fermented foods Fermented milk products Cheeses

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