Avoid

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

by Target Stores

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0085239420188 · Target Stores · Snacks. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0085239420188 · Serving size 1 CAKE (83 g)

The verdict

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes by Target Stores scores 35/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 49 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 3 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 49-component record, beginning with Icing Sugar, Sugar, Water. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

35/100
Avoid safety score
3
Few flagged · of 49 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.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

25/100

Grade F

Ingredient Safety

35/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

E

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

39420188 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes label screening desk

SCORE-AVOID 35/100 FLAG-FEW 3 flagged LEN-DENSE 49 ing. REG-PART 45% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-E Nutri-E RANK-SHORT Len top 5% LEAD-FLAG Sorbitol PHOTO-FINISH Market pantry, four · ±0 BOOK-OFF …420188 · July 2026

22 of 49 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Sorbitol). Source sheet 39420188 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Market pantry, four cheese mashed potatoes · Nearest score peer is Market pantry, four cheese mashed potatoes at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the lowest of the four bands. That is where labels land when registry-rated components drive the greater part of the deduction from the index. The band name is drawn from the framework's own scale and is distinct from the ratings the registries themselves assign to individual substances, which are shown per component below. A single heavily rated component and several lightly rated ones can produce the same band, so the component table is the more precise reading of the two.

Nutri-Score assigned its lowest band to this label. The algorithm reserves that grade for nutrition panels where the values it penalises sit well above the components it credits. The two systems on this page measure genuinely different things: a product can hold this grade while carrying no additive flagged by the registries screened below, and a product graded well can carry several. Neither reading substitutes for the other, and the per-component table is where the additive picture is set out.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Vanilla Bean Cupcakes: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Vanilla Bean Cupcakes35/1002. Market pantry, four cheese mashed potatoes: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. Market pantry, four chees…35/1003. Sugar Cookies: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. Sugar Cookies35/1004. Butterscotch morsels: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Butterscotch morsels35/1005. Market pantry, kettle-cooked popcorn, candy corn: 35/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Market pantry, kettle-coo…35/100
Nearest cross-brand screening scores for Vanilla Bean Cupcakes (35/100 on 49 parsed ingredients).
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
35/100
Market pantry, four cheese mashed potatoes
35/100
Sugar Cookies
35/100
Butterscotch morsels
35/100
Market pantry, kettle-cooked popcorn, candy corn
35/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 88,006 products we've scored in the Snacks category, the average safety score is 86.1/100. Vanilla Bean Cupcakes scores 51.1 points below that category average (35/100 vs. 86.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Snacks products

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes lists 49 ingredients on its label

49 95th percentile a longer ingredient list than 95% of the 81,477 products we track

0–2: 275 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 2,901 products (4%). Below this entry. 4–6: 4,248 products (5%). Below this entry. 6–8: 5,408 products (7%). Below this entry. 8–10: 5,486 products (7%). Below this entry. 10–12: 5,840 products (7%). Below this entry. 12–14: 6,252 products (8%). Below this entry. 14–16: 6,724 products (8%). Below this entry. 16–18: 6,221 products (8%). Below this entry. 18–20: 5,168 products (6%). Below this entry. 20–22: 4,508 products (6%). Below this entry. 22–24: 3,809 products (5%). Below this entry. 24–26: 3,567 products (4%). Below this entry. 26–28: 2,829 products (3%). Below this entry. 28–30: 2,282 products (3%). Below this entry. 30–32: 1,905 products (2%). Below this entry. 32–34: 1,715 products (2%). Below this entry. 34–36: 1,572 products (2%). Below this entry. 36–38: 1,417 products (2%). Below this entry. 38–40: 1,284 products (2%). Below this entry. 40–42: 8,066 products (10%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Snacks product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more 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

81,477 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 49 (95th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
275 products (0%)
2–4
2,901 products (4%)
4–6
4,248 products (5%)
6–8
5,408 products (7%)
8–10
5,486 products (7%)
10–12
5,840 products (7%)
12–14
6,252 products (8%)
14–16
6,724 products (8%)
16–18
6,221 products (8%)
18–20
5,168 products (6%)
20–22
4,508 products (6%)
22–24
3,809 products (5%)
24–26
3,567 products (4%)
26–28
2,829 products (3%)
28–30
2,282 products (3%)
30–32
1,905 products (2%)
32–34
1,715 products (2%)
34–36
1,572 products (2%)
36–38
1,417 products (2%)
38–40
1,284 products (2%)
40 and above
8,066 products (10%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 81,477 Snacks products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 35/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (3 flagged of 49 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Icing Sugar
2
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
3
Water
4
Non-hydrogenated Vegetable Oil Shortening
5
Canola Palm
6
Modified Palm And Palm Kernel Oils
7
Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour
8
Wheat Flour
9
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
10
Reduced Iron
11
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
12
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
13
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
14
Egg
15
Vegetable Oil
16
Soybean And Canola
17
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
18
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
19
Invert Sugar
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back GRAS
20
Skim Milk Powder
21
Butter
22
Cream
23
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
24
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
25
Glucose Syrup
26
Whey Powder
27
Sorbitol
Sweetener
Cut Back
28
Leavening
29
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
30
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
31
Corn Starch
32
Monocalcium Phosphate
33
Calcium Sulfate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
34
Soy Lecithin
35
Wheat Gluten
FIRMING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
36
Mono And Diglycerides
37
Natural And Artificial Flavor
38
Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters Of Mono And Diglycerides
39
Vanilla Seeds
40
Titanium Dioxide
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, HUMECTANT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TRACER
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
41
Color
42
Yellow 6
Avoid Approved (certified color)
43
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
44
Beta-carotene
ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
45
Gluco-delta-lactone
46
Polysorbate 60
BOILER WATER ADDITIVE, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Caution Approved
47
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
48
Preservative
49
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

Full Ingredient List

Icing sugar, sugar, water, non-hydrogenated vegetable oil shortening (canola palm, modified palm and palm kernel oils), bleached enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), egg, vegetable oil (soybean and canola), modified cornstarch, corn syrup, invert sugar, skim milk powder, butter (cream, salt), dextrose, glucose syrup, whey powder, sorbitol, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate), soy lecithin, wheat gluten, mono and diglycerides, salt, natural and artificial flavor, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono and diglycerides, vanilla seeds, titanium dioxide (color), yellow 6, yellow 5, beta-carotene (color), gluco-delta-lactone, polysorbate 60, potassium sorbate (preservative), xanthan gum.

Other products containing Gluco-delta-lactone

Gluco-delta-lactone is the least common ingredient on this label, appearing in 6 products across the catalog. See its safety profile.

Categories

Snacks Sweet snacks Biscuits and cakes Cakes

Lower-score cross-brand comparables for Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Neighbours outside Target Stores in the same lower screening band as Vanilla Bean Cupcakes (35/100). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Target Stores; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Sorbitol is the first flagged ingredient selected from Vanilla Bean Cupcakes's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 49-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Sorbitol. Open Sorbitol
  • Compare Vanilla Bean Cupcakes's 3 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0085239420188: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.