Safe

Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack

by Counter

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0850048199279 · Counter · Frozen foods. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0850048199279 · Serving size 1 cup (226 g)

The verdict

Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack by Counter scores 90/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 78 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 78-component record, beginning with Semolina Wheat, Niacin, Iron. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

90/100
Safe safety score
2
Few flagged · of 78 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
C
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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

63/100

Grade C+

Ingredient Safety

90/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

C

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

48199279 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack label screening desk

SCORE-SAFE 90/100 FLAG-FEW 2 flagged LEN-DENSE 78 ing. REG-SPARSE 22% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-C Nutri-C RANK-SHORT Len top 3% LEAD-FLAG Polysorbate 80 PHOTO-FINISH Sarah's Sugar Cookie · ±0 BOOK-OFF …199279 · July 2026

17 of 78 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Polysorbate 80). Source sheet 48199279 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Sarah's Sugar Cookie · Nearest score peer is Sarah's Sugar Cookie at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

Within the four-tier shelf-label framework this site publishes, the composite for this product falls in the highest band. That band is defined by a threshold on the derived score alone: it is where labels land once components carrying caution-or-worse registry ratings contribute little or nothing to the deduction. The band is a summary of what the screened registries return for the components that were parsed, so it inherits their coverage gaps — a component absent from both registries neither raises nor lowers the figure. The threshold and the weighting behind it are set out on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score settled on its middle grade here, the band the algorithm produces when the penalty and credit sides of its nutrient ledger come out close to balanced. A mid-scale grade is a statement about the panel as a whole rather than about any single nutrient, and products arrive at it by very different routes: a moderate profile across every term, or high marks on some offset by heavy penalties on others. The grade is computed separately from the ingredient screen below and the two are not comparable measures.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack: 90/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Counter Queso Chicken Mac…90/1002. Sarah's Sugar Cookie: 90/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. Sarah's Sugar Cookie90/1003. S'mores Ice Cream: 90/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. S'mores Ice Cream90/1004. Butter Pecan Premium Ice Cream: 90/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Butter Pecan Premium Ice …90/1005. Premium Ice Cream: 90/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Premium Ice Cream90/100
High-band neighbours for Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack (90/100) outside Counter.
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack
90/100
Sarah's Sugar Cookie
90/100
S'mores Ice Cream
90/100
Butter Pecan Premium Ice Cream
90/100
Premium Ice Cream
90/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 24,982 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 92.9/100. Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack scores 2.9 points below that category average (90/100 vs. 92.9/100), so it is roughly typical for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Frozen foods products

Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack lists 78 ingredients on its label

78 97th percentile a longer ingredient list than 97% of the 7,008 products we track

0–2: 11 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 6–8: 66 products (1%). Below this entry. 8–10: 102 products (1%). Below this entry. 10–12: 112 products (2%). Below this entry. 12–14: 184 products (3%). Below this entry. 14–16: 205 products (3%). Below this entry. 16–18: 245 products (3%). Below this entry. 18–20: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 20–22: 264 products (4%). Below this entry. 22–24: 298 products (4%). Below this entry. 24–26: 247 products (4%). Below this entry. 26–28: 271 products (4%). Below this entry. 28–30: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 30–32: 294 products (4%). Below this entry. 32–34: 325 products (5%). Below this entry. 34–36: 319 products (5%). Below this entry. 36–38: 314 products (4%). Below this entry. 38–40: 283 products (4%). Below this entry. 40–42: 2,792 products (40%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Frozen foods product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

7,008 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 78 (97th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
11 products (0%)
2–4
54 products (1%)
4–6
54 products (1%)
6–8
66 products (1%)
8–10
102 products (1%)
10–12
112 products (2%)
12–14
184 products (3%)
14–16
205 products (3%)
16–18
245 products (3%)
18–20
284 products (4%)
20–22
264 products (4%)
22–24
298 products (4%)
24–26
247 products (4%)
26–28
271 products (4%)
28–30
284 products (4%)
30–32
294 products (4%)
32–34
325 products (5%)
34–36
319 products (5%)
36–38
314 products (4%)
38–40
283 products (4%)
40 and above
2,792 products (40%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 7,008 Frozen foods products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 90/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (2 flagged of 78 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Semolina Wheat
2
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
3
Iron
4
Ferrous Sulfate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
5
Thiamin Mononitrate
6
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
8
Water
9
Cottage Cheese
10
Cultured Nonfat Milk
11
Milk
12
Cream
13
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
14
Nonfat Milk
15
Guar Gum
16
Mono And Diglycerides
17
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
18
Polysorbate 80
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
19
Locust Bean Gum
20
Cheese Cultures
21
Cooked Seasoned Grilled Chicken Breast With Rib Meat
22
Boneless
23
Skinless Chicken Breast With Rib Meat
24
Potato Starch
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
25
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
26
Rice Starch
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Listed
27
Natural Flavor
28
Sunflower Oil
29
Sodium Citrate
30
Sodium Phosphate
31
Apocarotenal
32
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
33
Color
34
Skim Milk
35
Vitamin A Palmitate And D3 Added
36
Onion
37
Roasted Garlic Puree
38
Roasted Garlic
39
Canola Oil
40
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
41
Organic Green Chile Pepper
42
Tomatoes In Juice
43
Tomatoes
44
Tomato Juice
45
Cheddar Cheese
46
Pasteurized Milk
47
Cultures
48
Enzymes
49
Whey Protein Concentrate
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
50
Nonfat Dry Milk
51
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
52
Hydrolyzed Collagen
53
Whey Protein
54
Baker’s Yeast Extract
55
Yeast Extract
56
Salsa Base
57
Red And Green Bell Peppers
58
Distilled Vinegar
59
Acetic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
60
Onion Puree
61
Garlic Water
62
Cilantro
63
Spices
64
Paprika
65
Red Bell Pepper
66
Dried Vinegar
67
Lime Juice Concentrate
68
Potassium Salt
69
Rice Flour
70
Sodium Citrate Dihydrate
71
Onion Powder
72
Chili Powder
73
Chili Peppers
74
Garlic
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
GRAS
75
Cumin
76
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
77
Black Pepper
78
Annatto Extract

Full Ingredient List

Semolina Wheat, Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Water, Cottage Cheese (Cultured Nonfat Milk, Milk, Cream, Salt), Nonfat Milk, Salt, Guar Gum, Mono And Diglycerides, Carrageenan, Polysorbate 80, Locust Bean Gum, Cheese Cultures, Cooked Seasoned Grilled Chicken Breast With Rib Meat (Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast With Rib Meat, Water, Potato Starch, Sea Salt, Rice Starch, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Apocarotenal, Annatto (Color)), Skim Milk (Skim Milk, Vitamin A Palmitate And D3 Added), Onion, Roasted Garlic Puree (Roasted Garlic, Canola Oil, Citric Acid), Green Chile Pepper, Water, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Tomatoes In Juice (Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid), Rice Starch, Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Whey Protein Concentrate, Cream, Salt, Nonfat Dry Milk, Whey, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Concentrated Whey Protein, Baker’s Yeast Extract (Yeast Extract, Salt), Salsa Base (Red And Green Bell Peppers, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Acetic Acid), Onion Puree, Garlic Water, Cilantro, Sea Salt, Spices, Paprika, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Vinegar , Lime Juice Concentrate, Potassium Salt (Potassium Salt, Rice Flour), Cilantro, Salt, Sodium Citrate Dihydrate, Onion Powder, Chili Powder (Chili Peppers, Spices, Salt, Dehydrated Garlic, Cumin, Xanthan Gum, Black Pepper, Annatto Extract)

Categories

Frozen foods Meals Pasta dishes Combination Meals Frozen ready-made meals Mac-and-cheese

High-score cross-brand comparables for Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack

Neighbours outside Counter with screening scores in the same high band as Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack (90/100 here). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Counter; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Polysorbate 80 is the first flagged ingredient selected from Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 78-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Polysorbate 80. Open Polysorbate 80
  • Compare Counter Queso Chicken Mac & Cheese - Club Pack's 2 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0850048199279: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.