Shepherd's pie
Contains 2 flagged ingredients
Shepherd's pie receives a safety score of 80/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 2 ingredients 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.
What the Data Says About
Shepherd's pie carries a composite safety score of 80/100, 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.
Our scan identified 2 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, Shepherd's pie 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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 80/100 | FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite |
| Flagged ingredients | 2 | 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
Full Ingredient List
Mashed potato (potatoes, water, margarine [liquid and hydrogenated soybean oil, water, salt, contains less than 2% of vegetable mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, citric acid, natural and artificial flavor, vitamin a palmitate added], nonfat milk and nonfat milk solids, salt, potassium sorbate to protect flavor, titanium dioxide [color], disodium pyrophosphate to maintain color, modified corn starch, glucono delta lactone, xanthan gum), shepherd's pie filling (cooked ground beef [ground beef, yellow onion, minced garlic {garlic, water, citric acid}, salt, black pepper], water, carrots, yellow onions, enriched bleached flour [wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], beef base [roasted beef and beef broth, salt, hydrolyzed corn protein, caramel color {class 1}, sugar, onion powder, beef fat, potato starch, flavorings, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, yeast extract], canola oil [blended with 10% extra virgin olive oil], unsalted butter [cream, natural flavoring], worcestershire sauce [distilled vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, water, salt, caramel color, sugar, spices, anchovies, natural flavor {contains soy} and tamarind], minced garlic [garlic, water, citric acid], black pepper, thyme), cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto [color], potato starch and powdered cellulose added to prevent caking, natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]).
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.
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