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Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Food decorations

Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting

16 oz

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains palm oil
  • Contains artificial flavors
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Why it scores 1

Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting scores 1 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better frosting

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [4][5][6]
  • Canola oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [7][8][9][10]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [11][12][13]
  • Artificial flavors
    Strong US dietary guidelines advise limiting foods with artificial flavors. [2][14]
  • Color added (not named)
    Info 21 CFR 101.22(k) requires certified color additives (FD&C dyes and their lakes) to be declared by name. [15][13]
  • Polysorbate 60
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [13]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [13]
  • Potassium sorbate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight (as sorbic acid); generally recognized as safe in the US. [16][17]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [13]
  • Xanthan gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [13]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [13]
  • 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [13]
subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 60.6 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 7.6 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [4]
  • Salt 0.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some salt. [18]
  • Energy 424 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−24
TOTAL 1Bad

100 − 99.5 = 0.5 → 1

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]

Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [19]

GTIN 00013300760802 · 2026-04-14

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy424 kcal
Fat15.2 g
Saturated fat7.6 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates66.7 g
Sugars60.6 g
Added sugars60.6 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0.5 g

Serving: 2 tbsp (34 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

SUGAR, PALM OIL, WATER, CORN SYRUP, CORN STARCH, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ARTIFICIAL COLOR INCLUDING YELLOW 5 AND RED 40, POLYSORBATE 60, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), SOY LECITHIN, XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, ANTIOXIDANTS (ASCORBYL PALMITATE, MIXED TOCOPHEROLS, CHAMOMILE AND ROSEMARY EXTRACTS).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Packaging

Plastic

Context only: no points in v1.

Healthiest food decorations in the US

More from Pillsbury

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  5. Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods

    European Food Safety Authority · May 3, 2016 · Agency assessment

    “The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  6. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  7. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”

    doi.org

  8. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  10. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org

  12. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  13. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  14. 21 CFR 172.515 Synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Oct 9, 2017 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  15. 21 CFR 101.22(k) Declaring color additives in the ingredient list

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “Color additives not subject to certification and not otherwise required by applicable regulations in part 73 of this chapter to be declared by their respective common or usual names may be declared as “Artificial Color,” “Artificial Color Added,” or “Color Added””

    ecfr.gov

  16. Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

    doi.org

  17. 21 CFR 182.3640 Potassium sorbate

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  18. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  19. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  20. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  21. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  22. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  23. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org

  24. 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “1,4-dioxane forms as a byproduct during the manufacturing process of certain cosmetic ingredients.”

    fda.gov

  25. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int