Quesadilla

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Quesadilla receives a safety score of 95/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient 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
0602050011625
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 QUESADILLA (113 g)

What the Data Says About

Quesadilla carries a composite safety score of 95/100, 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 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, Quesadilla 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 Quesadilla
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 95/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 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
Filling: Grilled Chicken White Meat
2
Chicken White Meat
3
Chicken Broth
4
Water
5
Less Than 2% Of: Salt
6
Modified Food Starch
7
Isolated soy protein
Other
Safe
8
Carrageenan
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Caution GRAS
9
Garlic And Onion Powder
10
Sodium Phosphate
11
White Pepper
12
Monterey Jack Cheese
13
Pasteurized Milk
14
Cheese Cultures
15
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
16
Enzymes
17
Cheddar Cheese
18
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
19
Color
20
Tomatillo
21
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
22
Jalapeno Peppers
23
Vinegar And Salt
24
Green Chile Peppers
25
Corn Starch
26
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
27
Cilantro
28
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
29
Onion Powder
30
Garlic Powder. Tortilla: Tortilla
31
Wheat Flour
32
Enriched With Niacin
33
Reduced Iron
34
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
35
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
37
Soybean Oil
38
Or Less Of Salt
39
Baking Powder
40
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
41
Sodium Steroyl Lactylate
42
Carboxymethylcellulose Gum And Dough Conditioner
43
Sodium Metabisulfite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FREEZING OR COOLING AGENT, DIRECT CONTACT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT
GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Filling: grilled chicken white meat (chicken white meat, chicken broth, water, less than 2% of: salt, modified food starch, isolated soy protein, carrageenan, garlic and onion powder, sodium phosphate, white pepper), monterey jack cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, annatto (color), enzymes), water, tomatillo (tomatillo, citric acid), jalapeno peppers (jalapeno peppers, water, vinegar and salt), green chile peppers, corn starch, sugar, cilantro, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder. tortilla: tortilla (wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, soybean oil, contains 2% or less of salt, baking powder, wheat gluten, sodium steroyl lactylate, carboxymethylcellulose gum and dough conditioner (sodium metabisulfite)).

Categories

Frozen foods

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