Caution

Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese

by Green Mill

Scores 85/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.

Barcode 0890933000020 · Serving size 1 cup (227 g)

The verdict

Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese by Green Mill scores 85/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 44 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

85/100
Caution safety score
1
flagged ingredient of 44 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.

What the Data Says About Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese

Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese by Green Mill 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. 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 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, Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese 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 C 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 Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese
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 C 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. Ultimate Macaroni And Cheese scores 8.3 points below that category average (85/100 vs. 93.3/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Cooked Enriched Pasta
2
Semolina
3
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
4
Iron
5
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
6
Riboflavin And Folic Acid
7
Water
8
American Cheese
9
Milk
10
Cream
11
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
12
Skim Milk Powder
13
Sodium Phosphate
14
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
Sorbic Acid
FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT
Safe GRAS
16
Vegetable Color
17
Soybean Oil
18
Asiago Cheese
19
Cultured Milk
20
Enzymes
21
Cellulose
Emulsifier
Safe
22
Potassium Sorbate And Natamycin
23
Fully Cooked Bacon Cured With
24
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
25
Smoke Flavoring
26
Sodium Phosphates
27
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
28
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
29
Poblano Chile
30
Cheese Flavor
31
Cheddar Cheese
32
Pasteurized Milk
33
Cultures
34
Salt And Enzymes
35
Sodium Phosphate And Xanthan Gum
36
Corn Starch
37
Green Pepper Sauce
38
Distilled Vinegar
39
Jalapeno Pepper
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 And Ascorbic Acid
42
Red Pepper Flakes
43
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
44
Paprika Oleoresin And Tumeric

Full Ingredient List

Cooked enriched pasta (semolina, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin and folic acid), water, american cheese (milk, water, cream, whey, skim milk powder, sodium phosphate, salt, sorbic acid, vegetable color), soybean oil, asiago cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes, powdered cellulose, potassium sorbate and natamycin), fully cooked bacon cured with (water, salt, sugar, smoke flavoring, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite), poblano chile, whey, natural cheese flavor (cheddar cheese [pasteurized milk, cultures, salt and enzymes] cream, water, salt, sodium phosphate and xanthan gum), salt, sugar, modified corn starch, green pepper sauce (distilled vinegar, jalapeno pepper, water, salt, cornstarch, xanthan gum and ascorbic acid), red pepper flakes, xanthan gum, paprika oleoresin and tumeric.

Categories

Frozen foods Meals Pasta dishes Macaroni and cheese

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.