Co op chocolate donuts
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
10
0 we grade moderate or higher
5 of them not yet assessed here
Saturates per 100g
7.80g
High
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 (10)
This label lists 3 emulsifiers, 2 acidity regulators, 1 antioxidant, 1 additive, 1 preservative, 1 raising agent and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
E300
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Antioxidant
What it is. Vitamin C, added to protect colour and flavour and sometimes to fortify.
Why it is used. Stops browning in juices and cut fruit, protects fats, and boosts vitamin content.
What the evidence says. Beneficial and harmless at the levels used. Included here as a reminder that an E number is just a code, and plenty of them are ordinary nutrients.
Permitted freely, no concern.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E300
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
- E341 Calcium phosphates raising agent
- E422 Glycerol other
- E491 Sorbitan monostearate emulsifier
- E501 Potassium carbonates acidity regulator
- E575 Glucono-delta-lactone acidity regulator
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
Ingredients Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Milk Chocolate Filling (18%) (Glucose Syrup, Water, Sugar, Humectant (Glycerol), Milk, Palm Oil, Whey Powder (Milk), Whole Milk Powder, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Modified Maize Starch, Acidity Regulator (Glucono-delta-lactone), Emulsifiers (Sorbitan monostearate, Lecithins (Soya)), Flavourings, Preservative (Potassium sorbate), Lactose (Milk)), Vegetable Oils (Palm, Rapeseed), Yeast, Sugar, Fat-reduced Cocoa Powder, Wheat Protein, Soya Flour, Emulsifiers (Sodium Stearyl Lactylate, Mono - and diglycerides of fatty acids - Vegetable), Stabiliser (Cellulose Gum), Salt, Flavouring, Raising Agents (Calcium phosphates, Potassium bicarbonate), Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic acid). Allergy Advice For allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see held. Due to the way products are prepared instore, they may also
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.