6 Iced Finger Buns
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
11
0 we grade moderate or higher
7 of them not yet assessed here
Sugars per 100g
15g
Medium
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 (11)
This label lists 5 emulsifiers, 2 acidity regulators, 2 thickeners and gelling agents, 1 antioxidant and 1 preservative.
E202
Potassium sorbate
Preservative
What it is. The potassium salt of sorbic acid, which stops mould and yeast growth.
Why it is used. Used in cheese, baked goods, dried fruit, wine and dressings.
What the evidence says. Widely used and long regarded as one of the gentler preservatives. EFSA's 2015 re-evaluation lowered the acceptable daily intake and noted gaps in the genotoxicity data, asking for more work, while finding no evidence of harm at the levels actually used.
Permitted with maximum levels. EFSA has asked for further data rather than restricted it.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E202
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
E300
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Antioxidant
What it is. Vitamin C, added to protect colour and flavour and sometimes to fortify.
Why it is used. Stops browning in juices and cut fruit, protects fats, and boosts vitamin content.
What the evidence says. Beneficial and harmless at the levels used. Included here as a reminder that an E number is just a code, and plenty of them are ordinary nutrients.
Permitted freely, no concern.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E300
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
- E260 Acetic acid acidity regulator
- E406 Agar thickener
- E435 Polysorbate 60 emulsifier
- E472C Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides emulsifier
- E472E Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters (DATEM) emulsifier
- E481 Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate emulsifier
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
Fortified Wheat Flour [_Wheat_ Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)], White Icing (18%) [Sugar, Palm Oil, Water, Tapioca Starch, Lactose (_Milk_), Emulsifiers (Citric Acid Esters of Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Polysorbate 60), Gelling Agent (Agar), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Flavouring], Water, Sugar, Yeast, Rapeseed Oil, Emulsifiers (Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Mono - and Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Maize Starch, Potato Dextrin, Salt, _Wheat_ Flour, Flavouring, Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic Acid), Preservative (Acetic Acid)
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.