Jane Asher Assorted Sprinkles
Jane Asher
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
9
2 we grade moderate or higher
6 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 (9)
This label lists 5 colours, 2 glazing agents, 1 emulsifier and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
E102
Tartrazine
Yellow colour
What it is. A synthetic lemon yellow dye.
Why it is used. Colours soft drinks, sweets, sauces and snacks.
What the evidence says. One of the Southampton Six colours linked in a 2007 UK study to increased hyperactivity in some children. The effect is modest and does not affect every child, but it was enough for a mandatory on pack warning.
UK and EU require the label to warn it may affect activity and attention in children. Permitted in the US without that warning.
Assessed against UK FSA, EFSA. Full entry for E102
E171
Titanium dioxide
Whitener and opacifier
What it is. A bright white pigment used to make sweets, icing, sauces and coatings look opaque and white.
Why it is used. Purely cosmetic. It changes appearance, not taste or safety of the food.
What the evidence says. In 2021 the EU food safety body EFSA concluded it could no longer be considered safe as a food additive, mainly because possible genetic damage from the tiny particles could not be ruled out. That is a precautionary call rather than proof of harm in people.
Banned as a food additive in the EU since 2022. Still permitted in the UK and the US, which reached different conclusions on the same evidence. A clear case of the same additive, different rules.
Assessed against EFSA, UK FSA, US FDA. Full entry for E171
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
- E120 Cochineal, carminic acid, carmines colour
- E133 Brilliant blue FCF colour
- E1400 Dextrin thickener
- E150A Plain caramel colour
- 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
Corn Starch, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Glazing Agents (E904, E903), Colours (E102, E133, E120, È171). Brown Hundreds and Thousands (20g): Sugar, Corn Starch, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Dextrin, Emulsifiers (E322 (Soya)), Glazing Agents (E904, E903), Colours (E120, E150a). Pink/Green/Yellow/White Hundreds and Thousands (20g): Sugar, Corn Starch, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Dextrin, Emulsifiers (E322 (Soya)), Glazing Agent (E904, E903), Colours (E102, E133, E120, E171). Pink Sweet Sand (25g): Sugar, Glazing Agent (E904, E903), Water, Colour (E120).
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.