Gold Standard Pro Gainer

by Optimum Nutrition

70
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Gold Standard Pro Gainer by Optimum Nutrition receives a safety score of 70/100 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
0748927029727
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed

What the Data Says About

Gold Standard Pro Gainer by Optimum Nutrition carries a composite safety score of 70/100, 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, Gold Standard Pro Gainer 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

Composite safety metrics for Gold Standard Pro Gainer
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 70/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 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.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
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
2
Protein Blend
3
Whey Protein Isolate
4
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
5
Calcium Caseinate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Approved
6
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein
7
Organic Cocoa
8
Medium Chain Triglycerides
9
Sunflower Oil
10
Natural And Artificial Flavor
11
Organic Sunflower
12
Soy Lecithin
13
Vitamin And Mineral Blend
14
Dimagnesium Phosphate
15
Tricalcium Phosphate
16
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
17
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
18
Dl-alpha-tocopheryl Acetate
19
Ferrous Fumarate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
20
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
21
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
22
Vitamin A Acetate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
24
Copper Gluconate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SYNERGIST
GRAS
25
D-calcium Pantothenate
26
Manganese Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
27
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
29
Thiamin Hydrochloride
30
Potassium Lodide
31
Cyanocobalamin
32
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
33
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
34
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
35
Acesulfame Potassium
NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved

Full Ingredient List

Maltodextrin, Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Whey Protein), Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Medium Chain Triglycerides, Sunflower Oil, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sunflower and/or Soy Lecithin, Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Dimagnesium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Ascorbate, DL-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Ferrous Fumarate, Biotin, Niacinamide, Vitamin A Acetate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Gluconate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamin Hydrochloride, Potassium lodide, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid), Salt, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium

Categories

Protein-supplement

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