Vital Grain Free

by Freshpet

95
Safe
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Vital Grain Free by Freshpet receives a safety score of 95/100 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
0627975011246
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed

What the Data Says About

Vital Grain Free by Freshpet carries a composite safety score of 95/100, which we classify as "Safe" 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, Vital Grain Free 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 Vital Grain Free
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 95/100 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
Beef
2
Beef Liver
3
Beef Broth
4
Lamb
5
Green Lentils
6
Eggs
7
Pea Fiber
8
Pea Protein
9
Natural Flavors
10
Dried Cranberries
11
Spinach
12
Minerals
13
Dicalcium Phosphate
14
Calcium Carbonate
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, HUMECTANT, LEAVENING AGENT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, MASTICATORY SUBSTANCE, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
15
Zinc Proteinate
16
Iron Proteinate
17
Copper Proteinate
18
Manganese Proteinate
19
Sodium Selenite
20
Calcium Iodate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID
GRAS
21
Sunflower Oil
22
Vinegar
23
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
24
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
25
Celery Powder
26
Fish Oil
27
Vitamins
28
Choline Chloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
29
Vitamin E Supplement
30
Vitamin A Supplement
31
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
32
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
33
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
34
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
35
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
Calcium Pantothenate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
37
Vitamin B12 Supplement
38
Vitamin D3 Supplement
39
Folic Acid
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
Approved
40
Potassium Chloride
ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS

Full Ingredient List

Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Broth, Lamb, Green Lentils, Eggs, Pea Fiber, Pea Protein, Natural Flavors, Cranberries, Spinach, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Sunflower Oil, Vinegar, Carrageenan, Salt, Celery Powder, Fish Oil, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Potassium Chloride

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