Chicken Sausage

by Johnsonville

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Chicken 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
0077782025651
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 LINK (85 g)

What the Data Says About

Chicken 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, Chicken 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 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 Chicken 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 D OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Chicken
2
Water
3
Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese
4
Monterey Jack Cheese
5
Cultured Milk
6
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
7
Enzymes
8
Cream
9
Sodium Phosphate And Less Than 2% Of The Following: Salt
10
Sodium Hexametaphosphate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
11
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
12
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
13
And Less Than 2% Of The Following: Corn Syrup
14
Modified Food Starch
15
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
16
Potassium Chloride
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
17
Chipotle Pepper Powder
18
Spices
19
Chili Pepper
20
Sodium Phosphate
21
Yeast Extract
22
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
23
Natural Flavor
24
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
25
Onion
26
Natural Flavors
27
Milk
28
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
29
Grill Flavor
30
From Sunflower Oil
31
Extractives Of Chipotle Chili Pepper
32
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
33
Collagen Casing

Full Ingredient List

Chicken, water, pasteurized process monterey jack cheese (monterey jack cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), water, cream, sodium phosphate and less than 2% of the following: salt, sodium hexametaphosphate, sorbic acid, powdered cellulose) and less than 2% of the following: corn syrup, salt, modified food starch, sugar, potassium chloride, chipotle pepper powder, spices, chili pepper, sodium phosphate, yeast extract, dehydrated garlic, natural flavor, maltodextrin, dehydrated onion, natural flavors (milk), sodium erythorbate, grill flavor (from sunflower oil), extractives of chipotle chili pepper, 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