Buchette vanille
Unknown brand
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
17
1 we grade moderate or higher
10 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 (17)
This label lists 5 emulsifiers, 2 antioxidants, 2 colours, 2 preservatives, 2 thickeners and gelling agents, 1 acidity regulator, 1 glazing agent and 1 raising agent. 1 more we cannot place from the code alone.
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
E202
Potassium sorbate
Preservative
What it is. The potassium salt of sorbic acid, which stops mould and yeast growth.
Why it is used. Used in cheese, baked goods, dried fruit, wine and dressings.
What the evidence says. Widely used and long regarded as one of the gentler preservatives. EFSA's 2015 re-evaluation lowered the acceptable daily intake and noted gaps in the genotoxicity data, asking for more work, while finding no evidence of harm at the levels actually used.
Permitted with maximum levels. EFSA has asked for further data rather than restricted it.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E202
E466
Carboxymethyl cellulose
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A modified plant fibre used to thicken and stabilise.
Why it is used. Common in ice cream, low fat products, gluten free bakery and sauces.
What the evidence says. Falls in the same emulsifier and gut research bucket as polysorbate 80, with early human work hinting at effects on the microbiome. Interesting, not conclusive.
Permitted with limits.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E466
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
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
E330
Citric acid
Acidity regulator
What it is. A mild acid found naturally in citrus fruit, made commercially by fermentation.
Why it is used. Adds tartness, balances flavour and helps preserve. One of the most used additives in food.
What the evidence says. Safe at food levels. No credible health concern for the additive itself.
Permitted freely.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E330
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E200 Sorbic acid preservative
- E304 Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid antioxidant
- E306 Tocopherol-rich extract antioxidant
- E450 Diphosphates raising agent
- E464 Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose thickener
- E472A No entry in our register
- E472B Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides emulsifier
- E472E Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters (DATEM) emulsifier
- E477 Propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids emulsifier
- 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
Crème au beurre, (Beurre (LAIT) (OEUFS),sucre huile végétale:palme,colza,coco,eau,émulsifiant: esters lactiques des mono et diglycérides d'acide gras E472b;mono et diglycérides d acide gras E471,sel,conservateur:sorbate de potassium E202,acide sorbique E200,acidifiant:acide citrique E330,arôme,antioxydant:extraits d'origine naturelle riches en tocopherols E306, palmitate d'ascorbyle E304. colorant: béta carotène E160a.), 56.9%, Biscut. (Sucre (OEUFS), farine de FROMENT (BLE), amidon de FROMENT (BLE), émulsifiant E472 b.E472a E472e, E477, poudre à lever: E450.E500,sirop deglucose (LAIT) écrémé en poudre (LAIT), arôme.colorant E160a,sel), 30,1%, Décor sucre, (Dextrose,sucre,sirop de glucose.farine de riz,colorant E171,revêtement E904,acide citrique, arômes naturels), 8,1%, Sirop de sucre, Decor azim, (Sucre,amidon de mais, amidon de riz,huile végétale,sirop de glucose,farine de riz.eau,fructose,huile végétale hydrogénée émulsifiant E322 épaississant E4601,E464, E466, conservateur E200. stabilisant E472a, arômes, poudre de cacao.),
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.