Cheddar bacon pasta salad, cheddar bacon

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Cheddar bacon pasta salad, cheddar bacon receives a safety score of 80/100 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
0078742132242
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1/2 cup (140 g)

What the Data Says About

Cheddar bacon pasta salad, cheddar bacon carries a composite safety score of 80/100, 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 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, Cheddar bacon pasta salad, cheddar bacon 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 Cheddar bacon pasta salad, cheddar bacon
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 80/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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
Cooked Enriched Macaroni Product
2
Semolina
3
Egg Whites
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Reduced Iron
6
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
9
Mayonnaise
10
Soybean Oil
11
Water
12
Egg Yolks
13
Vinegar
14
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
Sour Cream
16
Milk
17
Cream
18
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
19
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
20
Corn Starch
21
Sodium Phosphate
22
Guar Gum
23
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
24
Sodium Citrate
25
Locust Bean Gum
26
Bacterial Cultures
27
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
28
Preservative
29
Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese
30
Cheddar Cheese
31
Pasteurized Milk
32
Cheese Culture
33
Enzymes
34
Milkfat
35
Sodium Hexametaphosphate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
36
Artificial Color
37
Imitation Cheese
38
Palm Oil
39
Corn Starch
40
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
41
Natural Flavor
42
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
43
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
44
Organic Onions
45
Bacon Pieces
46
Pork Cured With Water
47
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
48
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
49
Celery
50
Dried Red Bell Peppers
51
Green Bell Peppers
52
Carrots
53
Natural Bacon Flavor Blend
54
Corn Syrup Solids
55
Yeast Extract
56
Natural Smoke Flavor
57
Mustard
58
Mustard Seed
59
Turmeric
60
Paprika
61
Spice
62
Garlic Powder
63
Cheese Powder
64
Cheese Cultures
65
Disodium Phosphate
66
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
67
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
68
Black Pepper
69
Onion Powder

Full Ingredient List

Cooked enriched macaroni product (semolina, egg whites, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), mayonnaise (soybean oil, water, egg yolks, vinegar, salt), water, sour cream (milk, cream, sugar, whey, modified corn starch, sodium phosphate, guar gum, carrageenan, sodium citrate, locust bean gum, bacterial cultures, potassium sorbate [preservative]), pasteurized process cheddar cheese (cheddar cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], water, milkfat, sodium phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, salt, artificial color), sugar, imitation cheese (water, palm oil, corn starch, sodium caseinate, salt, natural flavor, sodium phosphate, sorbic acid [preservative], lactic acid, artificial color), onions, bacon pieces (pork cured with water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite), celery, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, vinegar, carrots, natural bacon flavor blend (natural flavor [milk], corn syrup solids, salt, yeast extract, natural smoke flavor), salt, mustard (vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, spice, garlic powder), cheese powder (cheddar cheese [milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], whey, disodium phosphate, enzymes), modified corn starch, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium benzoate (preservative), xanthan gum, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder.

Categories

Meals Prepared salads Salads

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