Monterey jack with buffalo seasoning cheese nuggets

100
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Monterey jack with buffalo seasoning cheese nuggets receives a safety score of 100/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. None of the ingredients in this product are flagged for safety concerns by FDA or CSPI databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.

Barcode
0078742279688
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 POUCH (35 g)

What the Data Says About

Monterey jack with buffalo seasoning cheese nuggets carries a composite safety score of 100/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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 did not identify any ingredients in this product that FDA SAFFA or CSPI Chemical Cuisine data flags as requiring caution or avoidance at the time of analysis. That is a meaningful clean-label signal, though it does not account for personal allergens, regional recalls, or inspection findings not reflected in federal additive databases. The per-ingredient breakdown below shows the source-level classification for each component.

On the NOVA processing scale, Monterey jack with buffalo seasoning cheese nuggets 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 Monterey jack with buffalo seasoning cheese nuggets
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 100/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 0 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
Monterey Jack Cheese
2
Pasteurized Milk
3
Cheese Culture
4
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
5
Enzymes
6
Buffalo Seasoning
7
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
8
Distilled Vinegar
9
Aged Cayenne Peppers
10
Water
11
Canola Oil
12
Paprika
13
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
14
Natural Flavor
15
Garlic Powder
16
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
17
Rosemary Extract
18
Preservative
19
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
20
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
21
Or Less Of: Paprika Extract
22
Natural And Artificial Flavor
23
Tricalcium Phosphate
24
Acetic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
25
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
26
Anticaking Agent
27
Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate
28
Potato Starch And Powdered Cellulose Added To Prevent Caking
29
Natamycin
FUMIGANT
Safe Approved
30
A Natural Mold Inhibitor

Full Ingredient List

Monterey jack cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), buffalo seasoning (modified cornstarch, salt, distilled vinegar, aged cayenne peppers, water, canola oil, paprika, xanthan gum, natural flavor, garlic powder, maltodextrin, rosemary extract [preservative], sodium diacetate, garlic powder, sugar, contains 2% or less of: paprika extract, natural and artificial flavor, tricalcium phosphate, acetic acid, silicon dioxide [anticaking agent], disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate), potato starch and powdered cellulose added to prevent caking, natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor).

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