Chocolate Explosion Protein Bar

by Quest

85
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Chocolate Explosion Protein Bar by Quest receives a safety score of 85/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient 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
0888849015771
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
1 serving (61 g)

What the Data Says About

Chocolate Explosion Protein Bar by Quest carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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 1 flagged ingredient 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, Chocolate Explosion Protein Bar 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.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Chocolate Explosion Protein Bar
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score Not available OpenFoodFacts

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

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Protein Blend
2
Milk Protein Isolate
3
Whey Protein Isolate
4
Polydextrose
FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Cut Back Approved
5
Palm Kernel Oil
6
Palm Water
7
Erythritol
Sweetener
Safe
8
Cocoa Processed With Alkali
9
Unsweetened Chocolate
10
Glycerin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
11
Almonds
12
Sodium Caseinate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
13
Natural Flavors
14
Cocoa Butter
15
Soluble Corn Fiber
16
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
17
Lecithin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
18
Nonfat Milk
19
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
20
Tapioca Starch
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
21
Sunflower Oil
22
Stevia Sweetener
23
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
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
Cellulose Gum

Full Ingredient List

PROTEIN BLEND (MILK PROTEIN ISOLATE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE), POLYDEXTROSE, PALM KERNEL OIL, PALM WATER, ERYTHRITOL, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, GLYCERIN, ALMONDS, SODIUM CASEINATE, NATURAL FLAVORS, COCOA BUTTER, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, SALT, LECITHIN, NONFAT MILK, SUCRALOSE, TAPIOCA STARCH, SUNFLOWER OIL, STEVIA SWEETENER, SODIUM BICARBONATE, XANTHAN GUM, CELLULOSE GUM.

Categories

Dietary supplements Bodybuilding supplements Protein bars

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