tesco belgian chocolates selection
Unknown brand
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
8
0 we grade moderate or higher
4 of them not yet assessed here
Nutrients
–
Nothing above the low band
Or no figures recorded at all
Three separate readings, kept apart on purpose. This is not a score, and none of it says this product is harmful.
Additives (8)
This label lists 2 colours, 2 emulsifiers, 1 acidity regulator, 1 carrier, 1 raising agent and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
E407
Carrageenan
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A gel forming fibre extracted from red seaweed.
Why it is used. Thickens dairy, plant milks, desserts and some processed meats.
What the evidence says. Food grade carrageenan is permitted. A degraded form called poligeenan is harmful, but that is not what goes into food. Some lab and animal work links carrageenan to gut inflammation, which keeps it under review, but human evidence is limited and mixed.
Permitted, including in organic food in many places, though a few specialist products avoid it as a precaution.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E407
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
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
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
- E1510 Ethanol carrier
- E160C Paprika extract, capsanthin colour
- E162 Beetroot red, betanin colour
- E450 Diphosphates raising 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, white chocolate (15%) [sugar, cocoa butter*, dried whole milk, milk sugar, whey powder (milk), emulsifier (soya lecithins), vanilla extract], dark chocolate (15%) [cocoa mass*, sugar, cocoa butter*, anhydrous milk fat, emulsifier (soya lecithins)]1. milk chocolate (14%) [šugar, cocoa butter*, dried whole milk, cocoa mass*, emulsifier (soya lecithins), vanilla extract), hazelnut, dark chocolate enrobing (5%) [cocoa mass*, sugar, cocoa butter*, anhydrous milk fat, emulsifier (soya lecithins)], palm kernal oil, palm fat, glucose syrup, whey powder (milk), water, cream (milk), dark chocolate filling [cocoa mass*, sugar, cocoa powder*, anhydrous milk fat, emulsifier (soya lecithins)l, anhydrous milk fat, cocoa mass*, coconut, milk chocolate enrobing [sugar, cocoa butter*, dried whole milk, cocoa mass*, emulsifier (soya lecithins), vanilla extract), cocoa butter*, hazelnut paste, fat reduced cocoa powder*, flavouring, rapeseed oil, feuilletine [wheat flour, sugar, anhydrous milk fat, dried skimmed milk, barley malt, salt], invert sugar syrup, raspberry purée, wheat syrup, cherry, dried cream (milk), ethanol, emulsifiers (soya lecithins, mono - and di-glycerides of fatty acids, sunflower lecithins), yogurt powder (milk), scotch whisky, concentrated cherry juice, condensed milk, glucose-fructose syrup, raspberry, dried skimmed milk, sea salt, concentrated lemon juice, colours (paprika extract, beetroot red), maltodextrin, antioxidant (citric acid), salt, stabilisers (disodium diphosphate, carrageenan), vanilla extract, concentrated lime juice. white chocolate contains: milk solids 15% minimum. dark chocolate contains: cocoa solids 57% minimum. milk chocolate contains: cocoa solids 31% minimum, milk solids 18% minimum. *rainforest alliance certified. for more information: ra.org. allergy advice for allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold. also, may contain other nuts and egg. suitable for vegetarians caution contains alcohol. not suitable for small children who can choke on nuts.
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.