Instant cheesy broccoli and rice

50
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Instant cheesy broccoli and rice receives a safety score of 50/100 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
0078716268502
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.666 cup (80 g)

What the Data Says About

Instant cheesy broccoli and rice carries a composite safety score of 50/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Instant cheesy broccoli and rice 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.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Instant cheesy broccoli and rice
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 50/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Long Grain Parboiled White Rice
2
Cheddar Cheese Powder
3
Cheddar Cheese
4
Pasteurized Milk
5
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
6
Culture
7
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
8
Enzymes
9
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
10
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
11
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
12
Blue Cheese
13
Natural Flavor
14
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
15
Natural Wine Flavor
16
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
17
Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate
18
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
19
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
20
Creamer
21
Partially Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
22
Corn Syrup Solids
23
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
24
Dipotassium Phosphate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
25
Mono And Diglycerides
26
Silicon Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT
Safe GRAS
27
Soy Lecithin
28
Cheddar Cheese Blend
29
Natural Flavors
30
Modified Food Starch
31
Vegetarian Chicken Base
32
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
33
Corn Starch
34
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
35
Dried Onion And Garlic Powder
36
Spices
37
Including Parsley
38
Extractives Of Turmeric
39
Broccoli
40
Chopped Onion
41
Onion Powder
42
Parsley Flakes

Full Ingredient List

Long grain parboiled white rice, cheddar cheese powder (cheddar cheese [pasteurized milk, salt, culture, annatto, enzymes], whey, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, maltodextrin, salt, blue cheese [pasteurized milk, salt, culture, enzymes], natural flavor, lactic acid, natural wine flavor, citric acid, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, yellow 5, yellow 6), creamer (partially hydrogenated coconut oil, corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, mono and diglycerides, silicon dioxide, soy lecithin), cheddar cheese blend (cheddar cheese [pasteurized milk, salt, culture, annatto, enzymes], salt, lactic acid, natural flavors), modified food starch, vegetarian chicken base (maltodextrin, hydrolyzed corn protein, salt, corn starch, sugar, onion and garlic powder, spices (including parsley), extractives of turmeric, silicon dioxide), broccoli, chopped onion, onion powder, parsley flakes.

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