Bird's Dream Topping
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
5
0 we grade moderate or higher
2 of them not yet assessed here
Saturates per 100g
11.20g
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 (5)
This label lists 2 emulsifiers, 1 anticaking agent, 1 colour and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
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
- E477 Propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids emulsifier
- E551 Silicon dioxide anticaking 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
Fully Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Sugar, Emulsifiers (Propylene Glycol Esters of Fatty Acids, Lecithins), Lactose (Milk), Milk Proteins, Whey Powder (Milk), Anti-caking Agent (Silicon Dioxide), Stabiliser (Carboxymethyl Cellulose), Flavourings, Colour (Carotenes).
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.