Jelly beans
Jelly Belly Candy Company
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
16
1 we grade moderate or higher
12 of them not yet assessed here
Sugars per 100g
60g
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 (16)
This label lists 6 acidity regulators, 6 colours, 3 glazing agents and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
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
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
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
- E1400 Dextrin thickener
- E150A Plain caramel colour
- E153 Vegetable carbon colour
- E162 Beetroot red, betanin colour
- E270 Lactic acid acidity regulator
- E296 Malic acid acidity regulator
- E325 Sodium lactate acidity regulator
- E331 Sodium citrates acidity regulator
- E334 Tartaric acid acidity regulator
- E901 Beeswax glazing agent
- E903 Carnauba wax glazing agent
- 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
Sugar, glucose syrup, modified cornstarch, acidity regulators (E270, E296, E325, E330, E331, E334), flavourings, strawberry puree, colours (E100, E150a, E153, E160a, E162, E171), fruit and vegetable concentrates (carrot, apple, spirulina, black currant, pumpkin, purple sweet potato, hibiscus, radish, grape), raspberry puree, glazing agents (E901, E903, E904), blueberry puree, banana puree, blackberry puree, peach puree concentrate, chocolate (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter), lemon puree, passionfruit juice concentrate, orange puree, grape juice concentrate, mango puree, apple juice concentrate, cocoa powder, lychee juice concentrate, pear juice concentrate, kiwi juice concentrate, tangerine juice concentrate, pomegranate juice concentrate, mango juice concentrate, watermelon juice concentrate, dried coconut powder, grapefruit juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, pineapple juice concentrate, salt, cantaloupe powder, lime juice concentrate, freeze-dried soluble coffee, tapica dextrin, vanilla beans, ground cinnamon.
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.