California Broccoli Salad

by Papa John's Salads & Produce

80
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

California Broccoli Salad by Papa John's Salads & Produce 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
0782796023271
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
0.66 cup (100 g)

What the Data Says About

California Broccoli Salad by Papa John's Salads & Produce 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, California Broccoli 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 California Broccoli 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
Broccoli
2
Broccoli Salad Dressing
3
Mayonnaise
4
Vegetable Oil
5
Soybean
6
Canola
7
Water
8
Distilled Vinegar
9
Egg Yolk
10
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
11
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
12
Spice
13
Calcium Disodium
14
Edta To Protect Flavor
15
Modified Food Starch
16
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
17
Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate As Preservatives
18
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
19
Lemon Juice Concentrate
20
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
21
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
22
Sour Cream
23
Cultured Cream
24
Corn Starch
25
Sodium Phosphate
26
Guar Gum
27
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
28
Locust Bean Gum
29
White Vinegar
30
Reduced With Water To 5% Acidity
31
Mandarin Oranges
32
Mandarin Orange Segments
33
Red Onion
34
Cashews
35
Peanut Oil
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
36
Bacon
37
Cured With Water
38
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
39
Sodium Nitrate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
40
May Also Contain Potassium Chloride
41
Smoke Flavoring
42
Sodium Phosphates
43
Honey
44
Sodium Diacetate
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
45
Dried Cranberries
46
Sunflower Oil

Full Ingredient List

Broccoli, broccoli salad dressing (mayonnaise (vegetable oil [soybean, canola], water, distilled vinegar, egg yolk, sugar, salt, spice, calcium disodium (edta to protect flavor)), mayonnaise (water, vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), distilled vinegar, egg yolk, modified food 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), sour cream (cultured cream, modified corn starch, sodium phosphate, guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum), white vinegar (reduced with water to 5% acidity),sugar), mandarin oranges (mandarin orange segments, water, sugar), red onion, cashews (cashews, salt, peanut oil), bacon (bacon (cured with water, salt, sugar, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrate), may also contain potassium chloride, dextrose, smoke flavoring, sodium phosphates, honey, sodium diacetate)), cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil).

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