Old el paso, medium queso blanco, bacon chipotle

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Old el paso, medium queso blanco, bacon chipotle receives a safety score of 85/100 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
0077718635176
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
2 Tbsp (30 g)

What the Data Says About

Old el paso, medium queso blanco, bacon chipotle carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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 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, Old el paso, medium queso blanco, bacon chipotle 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 E 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 Old el paso, medium queso blanco, bacon chipotle
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Sour Cream
2
Cultured Cream
3
Dried Cream Cheese
4
Pasteurized Milk And Cream
5
Cheese Culture
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Carob Bean Gum
8
Cheddar Cheese
9
Cultured Pasteurized Milk
10
Enzymes
11
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
12
Chipotle In Adobo
13
Chipotle Peppers
14
Organic Tomato Puree
15
Organic Onions
16
Vinegar
17
Canola Oil
18
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
19
Paprika
20
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
21
Cheese Flavor
22
Applewood Smoked Bacon
23
Cured With Water
24
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
25
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
26
Cultured Milk Powder
27
Spices
28
Bacon Flavor
29
Bacon Fat
30
Natural Smoke Flavor
31
Gum Arabic
32
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
33
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
34
Wheat
35
Soybeans
36
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
37
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
38
Dextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Safe GRAS
39
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
40
Fiber
41
Sodium Benzoate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
42
Preservative
43
And Potassium Sorbate

Full Ingredient List

Sour cream (cultured cream), cream cheese (pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, carob bean gum), cheddar cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes, annatto), chipotle in adobo (chipotle peppers, tomato puree, onions, vinegar, canola oil, sugar, salt, paprika, garlic), natural cheese flavor, applewood smoked bacon (cured with water, salt, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite), cultured milk powder, spices, salt, natural bacon flavor (bacon fat, natural smoke flavor, gum arabic, autolyzed yeast extract, salt, soy sauce (wheat, soybeans), maltodextrin), lactic acid, dextrin, dextrose, fiber, sodium benzoate (preservative) and potassium sorbate (preservative)

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