Broccoli Cheddar Salad

by Papa John's Salads & Produce

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Broccoli Cheddar Salad by Papa John's Salads & Produce receives a safety score of 85/100 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
0782796023219
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.5 cup (100 g)

What the Data Says About

Broccoli Cheddar Salad by Papa John's Salads & Produce 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.

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, Broccoli Cheddar 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 Broccoli Cheddar Salad
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 C OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Broccoli
2
Mayonnaise
3
Water
4
Vegetable Oil
5
Soybean
6
Canola
7
Distilled Vinegar
8
Egg Yolk
9
Starch
Thickener
Safe
10
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate As Preservatives
13
Spice
14
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
15
Lemon Juice Concentrate
16
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
17
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
18
Cheddar Cheese
19
Pasteurized Milk
20
Cheese Culture
21
Enzymes
22
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
23
Bacon Bits
24
Bacon
25
Cured With Water
26
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
27
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
28
Sodium Nitrate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
29
May Also Contain Potassium Chloride
30
Smoke Flavoring
31
Sodium Phosphate
32
Honey
33
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
34
Red Onion
35
White Vinegar
36
White Distilled Vinegar Reduced With Water To 5% Acidity

Full Ingredient List

Broccoli, mayonnaise (water, vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), distilled vinegar, egg yolk, modified starch, high fructose corn syrup, contains less than 2% of: salt, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate as preservatives, spice, xanthan gum, lemon juice concentrate, lactic acid, dextrose), cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto), bacon bits (bacon (cured with water, salt, sugar, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrate), may also contain potassium chloride, dextrose, smoke flavoring, sodium phosphate, honey, sodium diacetate)), sugar, red onion, white vinegar (white distilled vinegar reduced with water to 5% acidity)

Categories

Meals Prepared salads Salads

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