Apple pencils
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
7
0 we grade moderate or higher
4 of them not yet assessed here
Sugars per 100g
66g
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 (7)
This label lists 2 acidity regulators, 2 colours, 1 emulsifier, 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
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
- E141 Copper complexes of chlorophylls colour
- E296 Malic acid acidity regulator
- E422 Glycerol other
- E428 Gelatine thickener
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
Sugar, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, _Wheat_ Flour, Apple Juice from Concentrate, Maize Starch, Humectant (Glycerol), Invert Sugar Syrup, Acids (Citric Acid, Malic Acid), Potato Starch, Palm Fat, Pork Gelatine, Natural Flavouring, Colours (Copper Complexes of Chlorophylls, Curcumin), Vegetable Oils (Coconut Oil, Palm Kernel Oil) Emulsifier (Mono-and Di-Glycerides of Fatty Acids), Coconut Fat, Fruit & Vegetable Concentrates (Lemon, Safflower).
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.