5 Rainbow Cookies
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
15
0 we grade moderate or higher
11 of them not yet assessed here
Nutrients
–
Nothing above the low band
Or no figures recorded at all
Three separate readings, kept apart on purpose. This is not a score, and none of it says this product is harmful.
Additives (15)
This label lists 6 colours, 3 glazing agents, 2 emulsifiers, 2 raising agents, 1 additive and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
E100
Curcumin
Yellow colour
What it is. The yellow pigment from turmeric root.
Why it is used. Colours mustards, sauces, dairy, confectionery and savoury snacks.
What the evidence says. A plant pigment people have eaten as a spice for a very long time, and regulators treat it as safe with an acceptable daily intake. EFSA noted that children who eat a lot of the foods it is used in could approach that intake, which is a reason to watch total use rather than a sign of harm.
Permitted with maximum levels in the foods where it is allowed.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E100
E160A
Carotenes
Yellow to orange colour
What it is. The orange pigments found in carrots and other vegetables, either extracted or made synthetically.
Why it is used. Colours margarine, soft drinks, dairy, and sweets.
What the evidence says. The same compound the body turns into vitamin A, and safe at the levels used in food. High dose beta-carotene supplements have been linked to harm in smokers, but those doses are far above anything a colour in food delivers, and conflating the two is a common mistake.
Permitted. The supplement findings apply to concentrated doses, not to food colouring.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E160A
E322
Lecithin
Emulsifier
What it is. A natural emulsifier, usually from soya or sunflower.
Why it is used. Keeps chocolate smooth and stops ingredients separating.
What the evidence says. Safe and widely used. Only relevant if the source, such as soya, is an allergen for you.
Permitted freely. Source allergen must be declared.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E322
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E141 Copper complexes of chlorophylls colour
- E160C Paprika extract, capsanthin colour
- E162 Beetroot red, betanin colour
- E163 Anthocyanins colour
- E414 Acacia gum (gum arabic) thickener
- E422 Glycerol other
- E450 Diphosphates raising agent
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
- E901 Beeswax glazing agent
- E903 Carnauba wax glazing agent
- E904 Shellac glazing 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
Fortified Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (3). Thiamin (B1)], Sugar, Candy Beans (12%) [Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Whey Powder (Milk). Fat - Reduced Cocoa Powder, Rice Starch, Whole Milk Powder, Emulsifier (Lecithins), Glazing Agents (Acacia Gum, Carnauba Wax, White and Yellow Beeswax, Shellac), Colours (Curcumin, Copper Complexes of Chlorophyll and Chlorophyllins, Carotenes, Beetroot Red. Anthocyanins)], Palm Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Rainbow Sugar Strands (6%) [Sugar, Coconut Oil, Glucose Syrup, Water, Plant Concentrates [Beetroot, Spirulina, Safflower, Radish, Lemon, Blackcurrant], Colours (Curcumin, Anthocyanins, Paprika Extract). Glazing Agent (White and Yellow Beeswax)], Maltodextrin, Whey Powder (Milk), Humectant (Glycerol), Coconut Oil, Raising Agents (Sodium Carbonates, Diphosphates), Molasses, Emulsifier (Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Flavouring.
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.