Is Bonne Maman Baba au Rhum ultra-processed?

2 x 140g Sponge cakes Sold in the United Kingdom and France

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
E440 Pectins
E450 Diphosphates

15 ingredients
4 additives

Less processed desserts

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

Water, Sugar (processing marker), Wheat flour, Cream 9.5%, Rum 6.9% (ABV 54%), Whole egg, Egg white, sodium diphosphates (ultra-processing marker), sodium carbonates, wheat flour, Honey (processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Natural Vanilla flavouring (ultra-processing marker), pectin (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E440 Pectins , E450 Diphosphates , E450iii Tetrasodium diphosphate , E500 Sodium carbonates

As written on the pack

Water, Sugar, Wheat flour, Cream (milk) 9,5%, Rum 6.9% (54% ABV), Whole egg, Egg white, Raising agents (sodium diphosphates, sodium carbonates, wheat flour), Honey, Salt, Natural Vanilla flavouring, Gelling agent (pectin).

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.

E440 Pectins Pectins are gelling agents extracted from citrus peel or apple pomace.
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.

4 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.

Honey Honey, used as a sweetener.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 13 sponge cakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 2nd. 100% of the sponge cakes 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 sponge cakes, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 3608580005483, last edited 8 August 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.