Strawberry Banana Flavored Protein Shake, Strawberry Banana

by Special K

20
Avoid
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 4 flagged ingredients

Strawberry Banana Flavored Protein Shake, Strawberry Banana by Special K receives a safety score of 20/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 4 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.

Barcode
03806706
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 Bottle (296 ml)

What the Data Says About

Strawberry Banana Flavored Protein Shake, Strawberry Banana by Special K carries a composite safety score of 20/100, which we classify as "Avoid" 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 4 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, Strawberry Banana Flavored Protein Shake, Strawberry Banana 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

Composite safety metrics for Strawberry Banana Flavored Protein Shake, Strawberry Banana
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 20/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 4 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

1
Water
2
Nonfat Milk
3
Soy Protein Isolate
4
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
5
Or Less Of Polydextrose
6
Canola Oil
7
Natural And Artificial Flavors
8
Gellan Gum
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
9
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
10
Cellulose Gum
11
Dipotassium Phosphate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
12
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
13
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
14
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
15
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
16
Blue 1. Vitamins And Minerals: Magnesium Phosphate
17
Tricalcium Phosphate
18
Vitamin C
19
Sodium Ascorbate
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
GRAS
20
Vitamin E
21
Alpha Tocopherol Acetate
22
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Iron
25
Ferric Pyrophosphate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
26
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
27
Zinc Sulfate
MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Vitamin D3
29
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Vitamin K1
31
Vitamin B1
32
Thiamin Hydrochloride
33
Vitamin B6
34
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
35
Vitamin B2
36
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
37
Potassium Iodide
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, TRACER
GRAS
38
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
39
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
40
Chromium Chloride
41
Sodium Molybdate
42
Sodium Selenite
43
Vitamin B12

Full Ingredient List

Water, Nonfat Milk, Soy Protein Isolate, Sugar, Contains 2% Or Less Of Polydextrose, Canola Oil, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Gellan Gum, Potassium Citrate, Cellulose Gum, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Red 3, Yellow 6, Blue 1. Vitamins And Minerals: Magnesium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide, Iron (Ferric Pyrophosphate), Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin D3, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin K1, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Biotin, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12.

Categories

Dairies Milks (liquid and powder) Milks

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