Caution

Caesar salad

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0085239009802 · Salted-snacks. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0085239009802 · Serving size 1 SALAD (99 g)

The verdict

Caesar salad scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 58 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 58-component record, beginning with Romaine Lettuce, Caesar Dressing, Soybean Oil. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
Few flagged · of 58 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
D
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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

53/100

Grade C-

Ingredient Safety

80/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

D

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

39009802 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Caesar salad label screening desk

SCORE-CAUT 80/100 FLAG-FEW 2 flagged LEN-DENSE 58 ing. REG-SPARSE 26% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-D Nutri-D RANK-SHORT Len top 3% LEAD-FLAG TBHQ PHOTO-SOLO No peers BOOK-OFF …009802 · July 2026

15 of 58 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: TBHQ). Source sheet 39009802 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the second band of the four-tier framework. That band collects labels whose registry-rated components pull the derived score down measurably without dominating it. Position inside a band is not visible from the band name, and two labels sharing it can differ in how many components were rated and how severely. This is a threshold on an index computed here from public data, not a regulatory classification of any kind; the exact cut-offs are published on the methodology page.

This label falls in the fourth Nutri-Score band. The model arrives there when its penalty terms — energy density, sugars, saturated fat, sodium — carry more weight in the calculation than the fibre, protein and produce content it credits. The band covers a wide span of the points scale, so position within it is not visible from the letter alone. The grade reflects the declared nutrition panel and is unrelated to the additive ratings listed below, which come from different bodies applying different criteria.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 6,228 products we've scored in the Salted-snacks category, the average safety score is 94.1/100. Caesar salad scores 14.1 points below that category average (80/100 vs. 94.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Salted-snacks products

Caesar salad lists 58 ingredients on its label

58 97th percentile a longer ingredient list than 97% of the 5,429 products we track

0–2: 3 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 222 products (4%). Below this entry. 4–6: 793 products (15%). Below this entry. 6–8: 689 products (13%). Below this entry. 8–10: 1,036 products (19%). Below this entry. 10–12: 817 products (15%). Below this entry. 12–14: 570 products (10%). Below this entry. 14–16: 243 products (4%). Below this entry. 16–18: 168 products (3%). Below this entry. 18–20: 67 products (1%). Below this entry. 20–22: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 22–24: 30 products (1%). Below this entry. 24–26: 41 products (1%). Below this entry. 26–28: 32 products (1%). Below this entry. 28–30: 36 products (1%). Below this entry. 30–32: 41 products (1%). Below this entry. 32–34: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 34–36: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 36–38: 46 products (1%). Below this entry. 38–40: 47 products (1%). Below this entry. 40–42: 407 products (7%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Salted-snacks product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

5,429 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 58 (97th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
3 products (0%)
2–4
222 products (4%)
4–6
793 products (15%)
6–8
689 products (13%)
8–10
1,036 products (19%)
10–12
817 products (15%)
12–14
570 products (10%)
14–16
243 products (4%)
16–18
168 products (3%)
18–20
67 products (1%)
20–22
47 products (1%)
22–24
30 products (1%)
24–26
41 products (1%)
26–28
32 products (1%)
28–30
36 products (1%)
30–32
41 products (1%)
32–34
47 products (1%)
34–36
47 products (1%)
36–38
46 products (1%)
38–40
47 products (1%)
40 and above
407 products (7%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 5,429 Salted-snacks products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 80/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (2 flagged of 58 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Romaine Lettuce
2
Caesar Dressing
3
Soybean Oil
4
Water
5
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
6
Parmesan And Romano Cheese
7
Pasteurized Milk
8
Cheese Culture
9
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
10
Enzymes
11
Distilled Vinegar
12
Egg Yolks
13
Spices
14
Anchovy Paste
15
Anchovies
16
Defatted Soy Flour
17
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
18
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
19
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
20
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
21
As Preservatives
22
Onion
23
Caramel Coloring
Coloring
Avoid Approved (color additive, GRAS)
24
Lemon Juice Concentrate
25
Disodium Inosinate & Disodium Guanylate
26
Artificial Flavor
27
Extractive Of Turmeric
28
Calcium Disodium Edta Added To Protect Flavor
29
Parmesan Cheese
30
Pasteurized Part-skim Milk
31
Cheese Cultures
32
Enzymes And Cellulose
33
Croutons
34
Enriched Flour
35
Wheat Flour
36
Malted Barley Flour
37
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
38
Reduced Iron
39
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
40
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
41
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
42
Canola
43
Sunflower Oil
44
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
45
Yeast
46
2% Or Less Of High Fructose Corn Syrup
47
Dehydrated Parsley
48
Garlic Powder
49
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
50
Preservative
51
Natural And Artificial Flavor
52
Parmesan Cheese And Enzyme Modified Cheese
53
Cultured Nonfat Milk
54
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
55
Color
56
Extractives Of Turmeric And Paprika
57
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
58
TBHQ
Preservative
Avoid Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)

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

Salted-snacks

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

TBHQ is the first flagged ingredient selected from Caesar salad's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 58-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to TBHQ. Open TBHQ
  • Compare Caesar salad's 2 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0085239009802: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.