Caution

Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad

by StarKist

Scores 80/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 2 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0080000521484 · Serving size 85g

The verdict

Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad by StarKist scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 35 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
flagged ingredients of 35 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
B
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

What the Data Says About Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad

Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad by StarKist 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. This score is a transparent derived index we compute from that public data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement; see the Methodology page for the exact weighting.

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, Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad 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 B 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 Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad
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 B OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 12,458 products we've scored in the Canned foods category, the average safety score is 98.6/100. Tuna Creations Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Tuna Salad scores 18.6 points below that category average (80/100 vs. 98.6/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Light Tuna In Water
2
Water Chestnuts
3
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
Celery
5
Mustard Flour
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
6
Mustard Seed
7
Modified Food Starch
8
Corn Maltodextrin
9
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
10
Cellulose Gel
11
Egg Yolk
12
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
13
Onion Powder
14
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
15
Yeast Extract
16
Garlic Powder
17
Dijon Mustard
18
Distilled Vinegar
19
White Wine
20
Tartaric acid
Preservative
Safe
21
Spices
22
Corn Starch
23
Natural Flavor
24
Guar Gum
25
Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose
26
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
27
Autolyzed yeast extract
Flavoring
Certain People Should Avoid
28
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
29
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
30
Turmeric
31
Vinegar Powder
32
White Distilled Vinegar
33
Fish
34
Tuna
35
Egg

Full Ingredient List

Light tuna in water, water chestnuts, sugar, celery, mustard flour, mustard seed, modified food starch, corn maltodextrin, salt, cellulose gel, egg yolk, citric acid, onion powder, titanium dioxide, yeast extract, garlic powder, Dijon mustard (mustard seed, distilled vinegar, salt, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices), modified corn starch, natural flavor, guar gum, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan gum, autolyzed yeast extract, carrageenan, dextrose, turmeric, vinegar powder, white distilled vinegar, fish (tuna), egg.

Categories

Seafood Fishes and their products Canned foods Fishes Fatty fishes Canned fishes Tunas Canned tunas Tuna flakes in oil

Data Sources

Data as of May 2026. 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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Product figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, and CSPI Chemical Cuisine data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.