Buldak Spicy Ramen

by Samyang

100
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Buldak Spicy Ramen by Samyang 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
0192699000857
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 portion (140 g)

What the Data Says About

Buldak Spicy Ramen by Samyang 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, Buldak Spicy Ramen 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 E 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 Buldak Spicy Ramen
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 E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Wheat Flour
2
Tapioca Starch
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
3
Palm Oil
4
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
5
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
6
Glycerin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
7
Soybean Oil
8
Guar Gum
9
Potassium Carbonate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
10
Lecithin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
11
Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Approved
12
Sodium Polyphosphate
13
Tocopherols
ANTIOXIDANT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
14
Green Tea Extract
15
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
16
Vitamin B2
17
Sodium Carbonate
ANTIOXIDANT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
18
Water
19
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
20
Dextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Safe GRAS
21
Yeast Extract Powder
22
Skim Milk Powder
23
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
24
Onion
25
Starch
Thickener
Safe
26
Starch
Thickener
Safe
27
Red Pepper Powder
28
Milk Powder
29
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
30
Lactose
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
31
Artificial Chicken Flavor
32
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
33
Milk Cream
34
Enzyme Modified Cheddar Cheese
35
Cheese Culture
36
Milk
37
Enzyme
38
Tricalcium Citrate
39
Disodium Phosphate
40
Soybean
41
Acid Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
42
Disodium Inosinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
43
Disodium Guanylate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Approved
44
Oleoresin Capsicum
45
Habanero Pepper
46
Black Pepper
47
Caramel
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
GRAS
48
Paprika
49
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
50
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
51
Casein
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
52
Soy Protein
53
Phosphate
54
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
55
Spices
56
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
57
Yeast
58
Disodium Succinate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Listed
59
Msg
60
Lactic Acid Bacteria Powder
61
Lactose Whey
62
Whole Milk Powder
63
Dehydrated Parsley
64
Garlic Powder
65
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
66
Tricalcium Phosphate
67
Caramelized Sugar
68
Palm/coconut Oil
69
Sesame Oil
70
Garlic Oil
71
Wheat
72
Sesame
73
Tree Nuts
74
Organic Coconut

Full Ingredient List

wheat flour, modified tapioca starch, palm oil, wheat gluten, salt, glycerin, soybean oil, guar gum, potassium carbonate, lecithin, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, sodium polyphosphate, tocopherols, green tea extract, riboflavin (vitamin B2), sodium carbonate, water, sugar, dextrin, yeast extract powder, soybean oil, salt, skim milk powder, corn syrup, onion, starch, modified starch, red pepper powder, milk powder, garlic, lactose, artificial chicken flavor, whey, milk cream, enzyme modified cheddar cheese (cheese culture, milk, salt, enzyme), tricalcium citrate, disodium phosphate, soybean, salt, acid hydrolyzed soy protein, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, oleoresin capsicum, habanero pepper, black pepper, caramel, paprika, annatto, maltodextrin, casein, enzyme, salt, enzyme, soy protein, milk powder, phosphate, sodium caseinate, spices, sodium diacetate, yeast, disodium succinate, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid bacteria powder, milk cream, skim milk powder, lactose whey, milk powder, corn syrup, yeast extract powder, salt, whole milk powder, processed cheese, parsley, maltodextrin, lecithin, monosodium glutamate, garlic powder, soy sauce, tricalcium phosphate, caramelized sugar, palm/coconut oil, sesame oil, garlic oil, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, wheat, soybean, milk, sesame, tree nuts (coconut)

Categories

Plant-based foods and beverages Plant-based foods Pastas Noodles

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