Safe

Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets

by Gardein, Garden Protein International Inc.

Scores 100/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis , with no flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0842234000940 · Serving size 2 FILETS (125 g)

The verdict

Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets by Gardein, Garden Protein International Inc. scores 100/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 41 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 0 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

100/100
Safe safety score
0
flagged ingredients of 41 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
A
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

What the Data Says About Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets

Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets by Gardein, Garden Protein International Inc. 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. This score is a transparent derived index we compute from that public data, not an official FDA rating or endorsement; see the Methodology page for the exact weighting.

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, Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets 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 A 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 Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets
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 A OpenFoodFacts

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

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 25,915 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 93.3/100. Gardein, zesty marinara crispy chick'n filets scores 6.7 points above that category average (100/100 vs. 93.3/100), so it is a comparatively strong pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Gardein: Water
2
Soy Protein Isolate*
3
Expeller Pressed/canola Oil
4
Vital Wheat Gluten*
5
Ancient Grain Flour
6
Kamut Khorasan Wheat
7
Amaranth
8
Millet
9
Quinoa
10
Yeast Extract
11
Modified Vegetable Gum
12
Natural Flavors
13
From Plant Sources
14
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
Potato Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
16
Cane Sugar
17
Onion Powder
18
Vinegar
19
Garlic Powder
20
Pea Protein
21
Carrot Fiber
22
Beetroot Fiber
23
Extractives Of Paprika And Turmeric. Breading: Water
24
Wheat Flour
25
Leavening
26
Baking Soda
27
Cream Of Tartar
28
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
29
Yeast
30
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
31
Extractives Of Paprika. Sauce: Water
32
Tomato Paste
33
Diced Tomatoes
34
Tomatoes
35
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
36
Organic Onions
37
Spices
38
Roasted Garlic
39
Canola Oil
40
Cornstarch
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
41
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

Full Ingredient List

Gardein: water, soy protein isolate*, expeller pressed/canola oil, vital wheat gluten*, organic ancient grain flour (kamut khorasan wheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa), yeast extract, modified vegetable gum, natural flavors (from plant sources), sea salt, potato starch, organic cane sugar, onion powder, vinegar, garlic powder, pea protein, carrot fiber, beetroot fiber, extractives of paprika and turmeric. breading: water, wheat flour, leavening (baking soda, cream of tartar), sugar, yeast, salt, extractives of paprika. sauce: water, tomato paste, diced tomatoes (tomatoes, salt, citric acid), onions, spices, roasted garlic, organic cane sugar, canola oil, sea salt, cornstarch, xanthan gum, vinegar.

Categories

Frozen foods

Data Sources

Data as of May 2026. 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.

Product data from Open Food Facts; additive safety from the FDA SAFFA inventory and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details. Compiled by PlainFoodSafe

Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Product figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, and CSPI Chemical Cuisine data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.