Fruit Flapjack
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
2
0 we grade moderate or higher
Counted from the label, not by quantity
Sugars per 100g
35.20g
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 (2)
This label lists 1 emulsifier and 1 preservative.
E220
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
Preservative
What it is. A preservative that stops browning and microbial growth.
Why it is used. Used in dried fruit, wine, some soft drinks and processed potato.
What the evidence says. Not a cancer concern, but a well established trigger for asthma symptoms and sensitivity in some people, which is why it is a declarable allergen. Clear, strong evidence, but the concern applies to a specific group rather than everyone.
Permitted, but must be declared on the label when above a small threshold because of the allergy risk.
Assessed against EFSA, UK FSA. Full entry for E220
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
Ingredients
Gluten Free _Oats_ (32%), Golden Syrup, Vegetable Margarine (Palm Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Emulsifier: E471), Sultanas (8%) (Sultanas, Sunflower Oil), Brown Sugar, Dried Apricots (5%) (Apricots, Rice Flour, Preservative: _Sulphur Dioxide_), Glucose Syrup, Sweetened Dried Cranberries (4%) (Cranberries, Cane Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Gluten Free _Oat_ Flour, Coconut Flakes (Preservative: _Sulphur Dioxide_), Natural Flavourings, Salt.
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.