Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'N, Mandarin Orange

by Gardein

100
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'N, Mandarin Orange by Gardein receives a safety score of 100/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. None of the ingredients in this product are flagged for safety concerns by FDA or CSPI databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.

Barcode
0842234000810
Nutri-Score
d
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
9 Pieces with 2.5 Tbsp Sauce (152 g)

What the Data Says About

Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'N, Mandarin Orange by Gardein carries a composite safety score of 100/100, 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 did not identify any ingredients in this product that FDA SAFFA or CSPI Chemical Cuisine data flags as requiring caution or avoidance at the time of analysis. That is a meaningful clean-label signal, though it does not account for personal allergens, regional recalls, or inspection findings not reflected in federal additive databases. The per-ingredient breakdown below shows the source-level classification for each component.

On the NOVA processing scale, Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'N, Mandarin Orange 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 Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'N, Mandarin Orange
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 100/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 0 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
Water
2
Cane Sugar
3
Enriched Flour
4
Wheat Flour
5
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Reduced Iron
7
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
10
Soy Protein Isolate
11
Canola Oil
12
Vital Wheat Gluten
13
Dehydrated Soy Sauce
14
Soybeans
15
Wheat
16
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
17
Distilled Vinegar
18
Rice Flour
19
Methylcellulose
20
Fruit Puree
21
Mandarin Orange Juice Concentrate
22
Tangerine Juice Concentrate
23
Ancient Grain Flour
24
Khorasan Wheat
25
Amaranth
26
Millet
27
Quinoa
28
Potato Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
29
Corn Starch
30
Yeast Extract
31
Yeast Extract
32
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
33
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
34
Salted Sake
35
Rice
36
Potato Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
37
Garlic Powder
38
Ginger Puree
39
Spices
40
Natural Flavors
41
Color Added
42
Roasted Garlic Puree
43
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
44
Orange Oil
45
Onion Powder
46
Leavening
47
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
48
Sodium Bicarbonate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
GRAS
49
Monocalcium Phosphate
50
Soy Sauce Powder
51
Pea Protein
52
Turmeric Extractives

Full Ingredient List

Water, Organic Cane Sugar, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soy Protein Isolate, Canola Oil, Vital Wheat Gluten, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Organic Distilled Vinegar, Rice Flour, Methylcellulose, Fruit Puree (Water, Mandarin Orange Juice Concentrate, Tangerine Juice Concentrate), Organic Ancient Grain Flour (Khorasan Wheat, Amaranth, Millet, Quinoa), Modified Potato Starch, Corn Starch, Yeast Extract, Organic Yeast Extract, Sugar, Sea Salt, Salted Sake (Water, Rice, Salt), Potato Starch, Garlic Powder, Salt, Ginger Puree, Spices, Natural Flavors, Color Added, Roasted Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water), Orange Oil, Onion Powder, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Organic Soy Sauce Powder, Pea Protein, Turmeric Extractives.

Categories

Meat alternatives Meat analogues

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