Char Siu
by Trader Joe's
Scores 85/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.
The verdict
Char Siu by Trader Joe's scores 85/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 47 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.
- 85/100
- Caution safety score
- 1
- flagged ingredient of 47 analyzed
- Group 4
- Ultra-processed
- 0293392105990
- Barcode (UPC/EAN)
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 Char Siu
Char Siu by Trader Joe's carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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 1 flagged ingredient 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, Char Siu 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.
Safety Profile at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 85/100 | FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite |
| Flagged ingredients | 1 | CSPI/FDA review |
| NOVA processing group | Group 4 | OpenFoodFacts |
| Nutri-Score | Not available | OpenFoodFacts |
Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.
How It Compares to Its Category
Among the 15,046 products we've scored in the Meats and their products category, the average safety score is 93.4/100. Char Siu scores 8.4 points below that category average (85/100 vs. 93.4/100), 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
Full Ingredient List
PORK, SUGAR, SOY SAUCE (WATER. WHEAT. SOYBEANS SALT. ALCOHOL), WATER, MUSTARD SEASONING (MUSTARD, SALT, SUGAR, XANTHAN GUM OLEORESIN TURMERIC.POTASSIUM SORBATE. SODIUM BENZOATE [PRESERVATIVEST, NATURAL FLAVOR), CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: BETA-AROTENE (COLOR).CARAMEL COLOR.CHINESE HOT MUSTARD (WATER, MUSTARD, TUMERIC POTASSIUM SORBATE.AND SODIUM BENZOATE AS, PRESERVATIVE, 「MUSTARD, SALT, SUGAR, XANTHAN GUM, OLEORESIN, VINEGAR), CITRIC ACID, ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, RIBOFLAVIN FOCIN.REDUCED IRON. THIAMINE MONONITRATE., ACACIA HOISIN SAUCE (SUGAR, WATER, SWEET POTATO, SALT, MODIFIED CORN STARCH. SOY BEANS SPICES.SESAME SEEDS. CARAMEL COLOR. WHEAT FLOUR, GARLIC, CHILI PEPPER.ACETIC ACID).MONO - & DIGLYCERIDES., NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.NONFAT MILK, PALM OIL, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), PROPYL GALLATE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL,, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE.RED 40,SALT, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM NITRITE. SODIUM PHOSPHATE,SOY LECITHIN, SOYBEAN OIL,, FITES TITANIUM DIOXIDE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE. WHITE VINEGAR,, MAN GUM.YELLOW 5. YELLOW 6##TOMK## **CONTAINS: MILK.SOY., MADE AND SESAME.**MAY CONTAIN EGG. PERISHABLE-KEEP, SOY., TATED
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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.
Related
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.