Avoid

Archer farms, red velvet brownie

by Archer Farms, Target Stores

Scores 45/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 3 flagged ingredients identified.

Barcode 0085239013366 · Serving size 1 PIECE (46 g)

The verdict

Archer farms, red velvet brownie by Archer Farms, Target Stores scores 45/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 50 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

45/100
Avoid safety score
3
flagged ingredients of 50 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
E
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 Archer farms, red velvet brownie

Archer farms, red velvet brownie by Archer Farms, Target Stores carries a composite safety score of 45/100, which we classify as "Avoid" 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 3 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, Archer farms, red velvet brownie 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 Archer farms, red velvet brownie
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 45/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 3 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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 94,909 products we've scored in the Snacks category, the average safety score is 87.4/100. Archer farms, red velvet brownie scores 42.4 points below that category average (45/100 vs. 87.4/100), 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
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
2
Enriched Wheat Flour
3
Wheat Flour
4
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
5
Iron
6
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
9
Margarine
10
Palm Oil
11
Palm Kernel Oil
12
Canola Oil
13
Water
14
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
15
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
16
Vegetable Monoglycerides
17
Soy Lecithin
18
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
19
Natural Flavor
20
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
21
Colored With Beta-carotene
22
Cholecalciferol
23
Eggs
24
Milk Chocolate Chips
25
Cocoa Butter
26
Whole Milk
27
Chocolate Liquor
28
Artificial Flavor
29
Icing Sugar
30
Corn Starch
31
Dried Cream Cheese
32
Cream
33
Milk
34
Nonfat Milk
35
Guar Gum
36
Propylene Glycol Alginate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Approved
37
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
38
Carob Bean Gum
39
Bacterial Culture
40
Glucose Solids
41
Blackstrap And Fancy Molasses
42
Cocoa Powder
43
Red Chocolaty Coating
44
Partially Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
45
Red 3
Avoid Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)
46
Red 40
Avoid Approved (certified color)
47
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
48
Chocolatey Coating
49
Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil
50
Baking Powder

Full Ingredient List

Sugar, enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), margarine (modified palm oil, modified palm kernel oil, canola oil, water, salt, whey, vegetable monoglycerides, soy lecithin, citric acid, natural flavor, vitamin a palmitate, colored with beta-carotene, cholecalciferol), eggs, milk chocolate chips (sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk, chocolate liquor, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), icing sugar (sugar, corn starch), cream cheese (cream, milk, nonfat milk, salt, guar gum, propylene glycol alginate, carrageenan, carob bean gum, bacterial culture), glucose solids, blackstrap and fancy molasses, cocoa powder, red chocolaty coating (sugar, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, whey, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, red 3, red 40, natural flavor), glycerin, natural flavor, chocolatey coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, whey, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, natural flavor), canola oil, salt, baking powder, red 40.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Cakes

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.