Caution

Vanilla

by Huel

Scores 85/100 on FDA SAFFA + CSPI ingredient analysis - 1 flagged ingredient identified.

Barcode 5060495111600 · Serving size 500 ml (500 ml)

The verdict

Vanilla by Huel scores 85/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 37 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 1 ingredient is flagged for caution. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination; check official notices and the product label for current decisions.

85/100
Caution safety score
1
flagged ingredient of 37 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
5060495111600
Barcode (UPC/EAN)

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 Vanilla

Vanilla by Huel carries a composite safety score of 85/100, 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. 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 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, Vanilla 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 Vanilla
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 85/100 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.

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 19,967 products we've scored in the Meals category, the average safety score is 95.1/100. Vanilla scores 10.1 points below that category average (85/100 vs. 95.1/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Water
2
Pea Protein
3
Tapioca Maltodextrin
4
Gluten-free Oat Powder
5
Canola Oil
6
Flaxseed Medium-chain Triglyceride Powder
7
From Coconut
8
Oligofructose
Sweetener
Safe
9
Natural And Artificial Flavors
10
Brown Rice Flour
11
Sunflower Lecithin
12
Gellan Gum
STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Approved
13
Sucralose
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Avoid Approved
14
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
15
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
16
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
17
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
18
Ascorbic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
GRAS
19
Magnesium Phosphate
20
L-choline Bitartrate
21
D-alpha Tocopherol Acetate
22
Niacinamide
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
23
Menaquinone-7
24
Retinol Acetate
25
Ergocalciferol
26
Calcium D-pantothenate
27
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
28
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
29
Thiamine Mononitrate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
30
Potassium Odide
31
Cyanocobalamin
32
Biotin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
33
Selenium Yeast
34
Copper Gluconate
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, SYNERGIST
GRAS
35
Zinc Oxide
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
36
L-methylfolate Calcium
37
Chromium Picolinate

Full Ingredient List

Water, Pea Protein, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Gluten-Free Oat Powder, Canola Oil, Flaxseed Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Oligofructose, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Brown Rice Flour, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Sucralose, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Maltodextrin, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Phosphate, L-Choline Bitartrate, D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Niacinamide, Menaquinone-7, Retinol Acetate, Ergocalciferol, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium odide, Cyanocobalamin, Biotin, Selenium Yeast, Copper Gluconate, Zinc Oxide, L-Methylfolate Calcium, Chromium Picolinate.

Categories

Meals Meal replacements

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.