Chili Cheese Smoked Sausage

by Johnsonville

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Chili Cheese Smoked Sausage by Johnsonville 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
0077782021615
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 LINK (66 g)

What the Data Says About

Chili Cheese Smoked Sausage by Johnsonville 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, Chili Cheese Smoked Sausage 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 Chili Cheese Smoked Sausage
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
Pork
2
Water
3
Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese
4
Cheddar Cheese
5
Pasteurized Milk
6
Cheese Culture
7
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
8
Enzymes
9
Milkfat
10
Sodium Phosphate
11
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
12
Apo-carotenal
13
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
14
And Less Than 2% Of The Following: Corn Syrup
15
Potassium Lactate
FLAVOR ENHANCER
GRAS
16
Chili Pepper
17
Onion
18
Spices
19
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
20
Onion Powder
21
Tomato Powder
22
Msg
23
Garlic Powder
24
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
25
Brown Sugar
26
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
27
Natural And Artificial Flavors
28
With Modified Food Starch
29
Succinic Acid
FLAVOR ENHANCER, PH CONTROL AGENT
GRAS
30
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
31
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
32
Collagen Casing

Full Ingredient List

Pork, water, pasteurized process cheddar cheese ([cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, milkfat, sodium phosphate, salt, sorbic acid, apo-carotenal], powdered cellulose) and less than 2% of the following: corn syrup, salt, potassium lactate, chili pepper, dehydrated onion, spices, dextrose, onion powder, tomato powder, sodium phosphate, monosodium glutamate, garlic powder, sodium diacetate, brown sugar, sodium erythorbate, natural and artificial flavors (with modified food starch, succinic acid), maltodextrin, sodium nitrite, collagen casing.

Categories

Meats and their products Meats Prepared meats Sausages

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