Is Bird's Custard Powder ultra-processed?

Dessert mixes Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Bird's Custard Powder

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:

  • 4 ingredients
  • No additives

Less processed dessert mixes

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

Maize Starch (processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Colour (ultra-processing marker), Annatto way the end

As written on the pack

Maize Starch, Salt, Colour (Annatto way the end. ablished in Bird's homes Allergy Advice: May contain milk.

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.

  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
2 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.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 107 dessert mixes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 15th. 87% of the dessert mixes 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 107 dessert mixes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000354922589, last edited 5 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.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.