Chicken caesar salad

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Chicken caesar salad receives a safety score of 80/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 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
0722515250502
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 SALAD (283 g)

What the Data Says About

Chicken caesar salad carries a composite safety score of 80/100, 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.

Our scan identified 2 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, Chicken caesar salad 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 C 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 Chicken caesar salad
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 80/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score C OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Romaine Lettuce
2
White Chicken Meat
3
With Water
4
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
5
Spices
6
Onion
7
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
8
Parmesan Cheese
9
Pasteurized Milk
10
Cheese Cultures
11
Enzymes
12
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
13
To Prevent Caking
14
. Caesar Dressing: Soybean Oil
15
Water
16
Egg Yolk
17
Lemon Juice Concentrate
18
White Wine And Distilled Vinegars
19
Including Mustard Seed
20
Part-skim Milk
21
Cheese Culture
22
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
23
Preservatives
24
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
25
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
26
Natural Flavors
27
Propylene Glycol Alginate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Approved
28
Molasses
29
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
30
Caramel Coloring
Caution Approved (color additive, GRAS)
31
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
32
Tamarind
33
Calcium Disodium Edta
34
Preservative
35
Anchovies. Croutons: Enriched Flour
36
Wheat Flour
37
Malted Barley Flour
38
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
39
Reduced Iron
40
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
41
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
42
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
43
Canola
44
Sunflower Oil
45
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
46
Yeast
47
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
48
Or Less Of: Sugar
49
Dehydrated Parsley
50
Onion Powder
51
Calcium Propionate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT
Safe GRAS
52
Paprika
53
Color
54
Turmeric
55
Extractive Of Paprika
56
Spice Extractive
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, white chicken meat (with water, salt, spices, dehydrated onion, dehydrated garlic), parmesan cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, powdered cellulose [to prevent caking]). caesar dressing: soybean oil, water, egg yolk, lemon juice concentrate, salt, white wine and distilled vinegars, spices (including mustard seed), parmesan cheese (part-skim milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), dehydrated garlic, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), dehydrated onion, extra virgin olive oil, xanthan gum, natural flavors, propylene glycol alginate, molasses, corn syrup, caramel color, sugar, tamarind, calcium disodium edta (preservative), anchovies. croutons: enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), canola and/or sunflower oil, whey, salt, yeast, high fructose corn syrup, contains 2% or less of: sugar, spices, dehydrated parsley, onion powder, calcium propionate (preservative), paprika (color), turmeric (color), extractive of paprika (color), spice extractive, enzymes, ascorbic acid, tbhq (preservative).

Categories

Salted-snacks

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