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Baker's Corner Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Dessert mixes

Baker's Corner Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

3.4 oz

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains artificial flavors
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 21

Baker's Corner Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling scores 21 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Sugars 79.2 g / 100 g: Very high in sugar. Strong

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

Better pudding and gelatin

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

The Receipt

Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Sodium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [5]
  • Sodium acid pyrophosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [5]
  • 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. [6][7][4]
  • Propyl gallate
    Regulatory The EU permits it (E 310) only in listed foods, up to maximum levels. [8]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Artificial flavors
    Strong US dietary guidelines advise limiting foods with artificial flavors. [2][9]
subtotal−30.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [4]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and modified starch. [4]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 79.2 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 4.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [10]
  • Energy 375 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−25
TOTAL 21Poor

100 − 79.5 = 20.5 → 21

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

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]

GTIN 04099100107616 · 2026-07-22

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy375 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates91.7 g
Sugars79.2 g
Added sugars79.2 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt4.1 g

Serving: 24 g

Ingredients

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

SUGAR, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE, SALT, MONO - AND DIGLYCERIDES, PROPYL GALLATE, CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, ANNATTO EXTRACT, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.

Allergens and diets

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest dessert mixes in the US

More from Baker's Corner

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 by establishing a Union list of food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 11, 2011 · Law

    “E 127 Erythrosine 200 only cocktail cherries and candied cherries”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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