Caesar salad
Contains 2 flagged ingredients
Caesar salad 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.
What the Data Says About
Caesar salad 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, Caesar 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 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
| 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
Full Ingredient List
Romaine lettuce, caesar dressing (soybean oil, water, high fructose corn syrup, parmesan and romano cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], distilled vinegar, egg yolks, salt, contains less than 2% of spices, anchovy paste [anchovies, salt, defatted soy flour, water], dehydrated garlic, citric acid, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate [as preservatives], dehydrated onion, caramel color, lemon juice concentrate, disodium inosinate & disodium guanylate, artificial flavor, extractive of turmeric, calcium disodium edta added to protect flavor), parmesan cheese (pasteurized part-skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes and cellulose [to prevent caking]), croutons (enriched flour [wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], canola and/or sunflower oil, whey, salt, yeast, 2% or less of high fructose corn syrup, dehydrated parsley, garlic powder, calcium propionate [preservative], natural and artificial flavor, parmesan cheese and enzyme modified cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], cultured nonfat milk, annatto [color], extractives of turmeric and paprika [color], enzymes, ascorbic acid, tbhq [to preserve freshness]).
Categories
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.
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