Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Balconi Wafers al Cacao ultra-processed?

225 g (5 x 45 g) Chocolate stuffed wafers Sold in the United Kingdom, France and 4 more countries

Pack of Balconi Wafers al Cacao

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 16 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed chocolate biscuits

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Coconut oil, WHEAT flour 21%, Sugar, Glucose syrup, Fat-reduced cocoa powder 12%, in the filling, Dextrose, Skimmed MILK powder, WHEY powder, BARLEY malt extract, SOYA lecithins, Sodium carbonates, diphosphates, Salt, hazelnuts, Flavourings

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E450 Diphosphates , E500 Sodium carbonates

As written on the pack

Coconut oil; WHEAT flour (21%); Sugar; Glucose syrup; Fat-reduced cocoa powder (12%) in the filling; Dextrose; Skimmed MILK powder; WHEY powder; BARLEY malt extract; Emulsifier: SOYA lecithins; Raising agents: Sodium carbonates, diphosphates; Salt; HAZELNUTS; Flavourings.

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

Substances rarely used in home kitchens

Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
5 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.
  • Milk powder Milk powder is milk with the water evaporated off: a preserved form of a whole food rather than an industrial extract.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 13 chocolate stuffed wafers

From least to most processed, this one ranks 11th. 100% of the chocolate stuffed wafers here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 13 chocolate stuffed wafers, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 8001585008117, last edited 31 July 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.