Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Emma's country cakes Emma's classic choice ultra-processed?

6 cupcakes Cakes Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Emma's country cakes Emma's classic choice

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:

  • 36 ingredients
  • 3 additives

Less processed cakes

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

Cake Margarine (Water), Salt, Sugar, Egg, Wheat flour (Wheat Flour), Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin) Raising Agents, Icing Sugar (Baking Powder), Raising Agents, salt, wheat flour, Cocoa powder (Cocoa powder), Semi-skimmed milk, Natural Vanilla Flavour, Milk Powde" (Whole Milk Powder), Milk, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Vegetable fat, Emulsifier, Flavourings, Beetroot, Curcumin, Vegetable Oil, Coconut, Glazing Agent, Beeswax, Anthocyanin

Additives: E100 Curcumin , E163 Anthocyanins , E901 White and yellow beeswax

As written on the pack

Cake Margarine: (Vegetable & Palm oil in varying proportions) Water, Salt, Sugar, Egg, Wheat flour: (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin) Raising Agents, Icing Sugar: (Maize Starch) Baking Powder: Raising Agents, salt, wheat flour, Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder, Semi-skimmed milk, Natural Vanilla Flavour, Milk Powde": Whole Milk Powder, Milk, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Vegetable fat, Emulsifier, Flavourings. Beetroot concentrate, Colour Curcumin, Vegetable Oil, Coconut, Glazing Agent, Beeswax, Colour Anthocyanin.

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.

  • E100 Curcumin Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E163 Anthocyanins Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E901 White and yellow beeswax A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Glazing agent Glazing agents, waxes and shellac for example, coat a surface to make it shiny or stop pieces sticking together.
6 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 fat Vegetable fats are oils that are solid at room temperature, such as palm or coconut fat.
  • 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 377 cakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 178th. 94% of the 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 377 cakes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060015002630, last edited 30 September 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.