Chili Chews Strawberry Bites

by Chili Chews

50
Concern
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 2 flagged ingredients

Chili Chews Strawberry Bites by Chili Chews receives a safety score of 50/100 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
0860006809812
Nutri-Score
e
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 serving (28 g)

What the Data Says About

Chili Chews Strawberry Bites by Chili Chews carries a composite safety score of 50/100, which we classify as "Concern" 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, Chili Chews Strawberry Bites 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 E 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 Chili Chews Strawberry Bites
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 50/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 2 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score E OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Sour Strawberry Flavored Candy
2
Corn Syrup
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back GRAS
3
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
4
Water
5
Food Starch-modified
6
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
7
Natural And Artificial Flavor
8
Artificial Colors {Fd&c Blue No. 1
9
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
10
Fd&c Red No.40
11
Fumaric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe Approved
12
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
13
Malic Acid
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SYNERGIST
Safe GRAS
14
Chili Lime Seasoning
15
Chili Peppers
16
Sea salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
17
Lime Juice
18
Silicon Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT
Safe GRAS
19
To Prevent Caking
20
Chamoy Sauce
21
Iodized Salt
22
Chili
23
Acetic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
24
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
25
Artificial Flavorings
26
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
27
Antioxidant
28
Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
29
Preservatives
30
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
31
Cayenne Pepper

Full Ingredient List

SOUR STRAWBERRY FLAVORED CANDY (CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, WATER, FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ARTIFICIAL COLORS {FD&C BLUE NO. 1, FD&C YELLOW NO. 5, FD&C RED NO.40), FUMARIC ACID, POTASSIUM CITRATE, MALIC ACID), CHILI LIME SEASONING (CHILI PEPPERS, SEA SALT, CITRIC ACID, DEHYDRATED LIME JUICE, SILICON DIOXIDE (TO PREVENT CAKING)), CHAMOY SAUCE (WATER, IODIZED SALT, CITRIC ACID, DRIED CHILI, FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED, ACETIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORINGS, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE (ANTIOXIDANT), SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVES), FD&C RED NO. 40), SUGAR, CAYENNE PEPPER.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Confectioneries Candies

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