Taco Bell
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Taco Bell, current as of September 2026. Screening averages and flag shares live in the short-answer band below. This hero only situates the catalog slice.
The short answer
Taco Bell averages 96.6/100 across the 45 of 551 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 28.9% of those contain at least one separately flagged ingredient. The figure summarizes Open Food Facts labels cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI; it does not establish recall status, allergy suitability, or the composition of products outside this snapshot.
- 96.6/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 45 scored products
- 551
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 28.9%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 97.7%
- of NOVA-classified products that are ultra-processed (Group 4)
Source snapshot current as of September 2026; open individual products before making a product-specific decision.
Portfolio reading
Use the distribution, then open the outliers
With 551 tracked products, the useful signal is the shape of the portfolio rather than one headline score. The current concern-sorted list begins Mtn Dew Baja Blast Freeze; Mtn Dew Baja Blast Freeze; Cinnamon Nachos Dessert Kit; 28.9% of records contain at least one flagged ingredient while the overall mean is 96.6/100. Open those outliers first, then compare neighboring formulations. The aggregate does not establish recall status, allergen suitability, or the composition of an item outside this snapshot.
Catalog evidence
Ingredient-list coverage comes before the score
Only 45 of 551 tracked Taco Bell records (8.2%) include an ingredient list. The remaining 506 cannot be screened, so the 96.6/100 mean describes the labelled subset rather than the whole brand.
Next check: use the product rows below to verify the labelled subset, then compare the current package for any unscored item.
What the Data Says About Taco Bell
Taco Bell: 551 products tracked, 45 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 96.6/100, 28.9% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Because ingredient lists cover only 8.2% of tracked records, this average is a description of the labelled subset, not a brand-wide tier. The coverage gap is the dominant limitation. Scoring methodology + dye-pledge context →
Processing mix (NOVA)
Taco Bell processing intensity
Taco Bell's NOVA-classified set is 43 products: 97.7% ultra-processed (Group 4, 42 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 42. That ultra-processed share sits 19.4 points above the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Taco Bell shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Taco Bell concentrates in Beverages and beverages preparations (318, 67% of this top-five); Sandwiches (93); Appetizers-sides (30); Entrees (18); Toppings-ingredients (18).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandwiches | 11 | 96.4/100 | 72.7% |
| Condiments | 7 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 4 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Snacks | 4 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Beverages and beverages preparations | 2 | 50/100 | 100% |
Portfolio shape
How scores cluster inside this brand
The brand average (96.6/100) summarizes 45 scored products. This distribution shows whether that mean sits on a tight cluster or a wide spread, a few low-scoring SKUs can matter even when the headline average looks strong.
Taco Bell product score distribution
Brand average 96.6/100 across 45 scored products
97 17th percentile sits above 17% of the 45 scored products we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored 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
- 50–60
- 2 scored products (4%)
- 90–100
- 11 scored products (24%)
- 100 and above
- 32 scored products (71%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Taco Bell relies most on Carrageenan, an industry staple
Across the 45 Taco Bell products scored here, Carrageenan appears in 10. It is used by 2,390 other brands in this database (6.8% of them), so its presence says more about the category than about this brand. A flag records that a named source raised a concern about an ingredient. It is not a finding that a product is unsafe to eat.
| Flagged ingredient | Taco Bell products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Carrageenan | 10 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Blue 1 | 2 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Yellow 5 | 2 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Caramel Coloring | 1 | Restricted: California (Prop 65 warning for 4-MEI) |
Counts are products in this database whose ingredient list names the flagged ingredient. Flags come from FDA enforcement actions, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings and US state ingredient laws; see the methodology for how each source is applied.
Visible product sample
Label complexity does not determine the screening result
Each point is one of the 45 concern-sorted Taco Bell records shown below. Horizontal position is the number of resolved ingredients on that product's stored label; vertical position is its source-derived screening score. The dashed medians (26 ingredients and 100/100) divide this displayed sample only. A longer label is not automatically worse: open a specific product to inspect its flagged rows and source coverage.
- Shown records
- 45
- Median label
- 26 ingredients
- Median score
- 100/100
The outlined point is Mtn Dew Baja Blast Freeze, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (2). Bubble size represents flagged ingredient count plus one, so zero-flagged products remain visible. The score is derived from FDA SAFFA and CSPI fields; this chart does not establish recall status, dietary suitability, or a health outcome.
Read the plotted values
- Mtn Dew Baja Blast Freeze: 14 resolved ingredients, 50/100, 2 flagged.
- Mtn Dew Baja Blast Freeze: 14 resolved ingredients, 50/100, 2 flagged.
- Cinnamon Nachos Dessert Kit: 25 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Black Bean Chalupa Supreme: 61 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Beef Chalupa Supreme: 66 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Steak Quesadilla: 86 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Black Bean Grilled Cheese Burrito: 108 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Beefy 5-Layer Burrito: 82 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Beef Burrito Supreme: 78 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Chicken Burrito Supreme: 76 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Steak Burrito Supreme: 81 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Cheesy Double Beef Burrito: 100 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Chicken Enchilada Burrito: 83 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Mild Salsa con Queso: 24 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chipotle Sauce, Chipotle: 26 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Original Taco Seasoning Mix: 15 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- FIRE SAUCE: 21 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- HOT SAUCE: 17 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Crunchy Taco Shells: 4 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Thick N' Chunky Salsa, Mild: 14 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Original Refried Beans: 7 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Sauce: 15 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Taco Seasoning Mix: 14 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning Mix: 10 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Taco Bell, Soft Tortilla Steak & Cheese Taco Dinner Kit: 62 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheesy Taco Grande Taco Dinner Kit: 46 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cotija Grated Cheese Topping, Cotija: 8 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Avocado Ranch Creamy Sauce: 32 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- CHIPOTLE CREAMY SAUCE: 27 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Baja sauce: 27 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild taco shells: 21 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Quesadilla Kit: 55 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Crunchwrap Supreme with beef and sour cream: 39 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Saucy Mexican Style Pizza Dip: 18 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Creamy Crunch-Dip Supreme Cravings Dip: 37 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Spicy bean dip: 24 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Sauce: 15 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Tortilla Chips: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Classic Tortilla Chips, Classic: 5 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Tortilla Chips, Mild: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cinnabon Delights: 25 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheese Quesadilla: 72 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chicken Quesadilla: 79 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Bean Burrito: 55 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito: 83 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
Products by Taco Bell
Showing 50 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first); 501 tracked records with unusable upstream names remain in the aggregate but are not shown.
Nationwide brands with similar catalog profiles
Two PlainFoodSafe-derived peer sets for Taco Bell: closest on tracked product count (551 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (96.6/100 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-catalog strip.
Similar product count
Nearest other brands by Open Food Facts product count (floored at ≥50).
Similar average screening score
Nearest other brands by average ingredient screening score (floored at ≥50 scored products), distinct from the count row.
Counts and averages from Open Food Facts labels screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine; neither axis is a health outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taco Bell food safe? ▼
Taco Bell has an average safety score of 97/100 across the 45 of 551 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 28.9% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Taco Bell products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 551 Taco Bell products. 45 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 506 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Taco Bell catalog? ▼
Taco Bell has 43 NOVA-classified products; 97.7% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 42 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Taco Bell catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Taco Bell concentrates in Beverages and beverages preparations (318, 67% of this top-five); Sandwiches (93); Appetizers-sides (30); Entrees (18); Toppings-ingredients (18).
Does Taco Bell use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Taco Bell items list a synthetic dye on their label. For whether the company has committed to removing dyes, the FDA and CSPI both publish corporate-commitment trackers; we no longer restate those commitments here.
What to do with this Taco Bell profile
Use this roll-up as orientation, then verify the specific package you hold against its ingredient panel and the named official sources.
- Start with Mtn Dew Baja Blast Freeze, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (2) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Carrageenan appears in 10 scored Taco Bell products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Taco Bell's 96.6/100 average and 28.9% flagged share against other brands before treating either figure as a recall or clearance signal. Brand safety rankings
- Cross-check any additive concern against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine rather than relying on this derived index alone. Scoring methodology
A flagged ingredient records a source concern, not a recall, ban, or medical clearance. Always verify the current package label and consult official sources for product-specific decisions.
Citation & disclaimer notes
Brand scores aggregate ingredient-level FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings across Open Food Facts product data. See our methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe.Disclaimer: Informational purposes only; not professional advice. A flagged ingredient is not a recall or a ban. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Brand figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA 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 September 2026.
