Simply Delicious Chocolate cake mix
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
6
0 we grade moderate or higher
3 of them not yet assessed here
Sugars per 100g
15g
Medium
UK FSA front of pack threshold
Three separate readings, kept apart on purpose. This is not a score, and none of it says this product is harmful.
Additives (6)
This label lists 3 emulsifiers, 2 raising agents and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
E433
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifier
What it is. A synthetic emulsifier that keeps oil and water mixed and smooth.
Why it is used. Used in ice cream, sauces and some bakery products.
What the evidence says. Part of a wider research question about whether certain emulsifiers disturb the gut lining and microbiome. Most of the evidence so far is from mice and lab models, not people, so it is an active area rather than a settled concern.
Permitted with limits.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E433
E471
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
Emulsifier
What it is. Fat derived emulsifiers, closely related to ordinary dietary fats.
Why it is used. One of the most used additives in food: bread, margarine, ice cream, cakes and sauces.
What the evidence says. The body handles these much as it handles other fats, and EFSA's re-evaluation raised no safety concern at the levels used. They sit in the same broad emulsifier and gut microbiome research question as the others, which remains unsettled.
Permitted without a numerical limit. The fat source is not always stated, which matters for some diets rather than for safety.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E471
E415
Xanthan gum
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A fibre made by fermenting sugars with a bacterium, which thickens liquids at very low doses.
Why it is used. Thickens sauces and dressings and gives structure to gluten free baking.
What the evidence says. Passes through largely undigested and is treated as safe by regulators, with no numerical intake limit. Very large amounts act as fibre does, which is a digestive effect rather than a safety one.
Permitted freely.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E415
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E450 Diphosphates raising agent
- E475 Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids emulsifier
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
Names and jobs come from the register of additives permitted in Great Britain, which we have not finished transcribing: a code shown without a name is a gap in our coverage, not a finding that it is unapproved. Naming one is not grading it either. Full detail appears only where we have an assessment against a named authority, so all of this describes our coverage rather than these additives. Most are common and low concern.
Ingredients
WHEAT flour, sugar, fat reduced cocoa powder (8%), rice starch, emulsifiers (polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, mono - and diglycerides of fatty acids, polysorbate 80), raising agents (diphosphates, sodium carbonates), stabiliser (xanthan gum), salt. Allergy Advice For allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in BOLD. May also contain Milk. Suitable for Vegetarians
As printed on the pack, in the producer's own order: ingredients are listed by weight, so what comes first is most of what is in it. E numbers link to their assessment where we have one.