Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Extra Special Jam Donuts ultra-processed?

Doughnuts Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Extra Special Jam Donuts

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:

  • 40 ingredients
  • 10 additives

Less processed doughnuts

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

Fortified Wheat Flour, Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1), Apple 23%, Raspberry Jam Filling 23% (Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Apple, Raspberry, Gelling Agent (Pectins), Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Sodium Citrates), Colour (Anthocyanins), Flavouring, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate)), Water, Palm Oil, Sugar, Caster Sugar, Yeast, Rapeseed Oil, Emulsifiers (mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, mono- and Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Raising Agents (Calcium Phosphates, Sodium Carbonates, Potassium Carbonates), Salt, Wheat Protein, Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic Acid)

Additives: E163 Anthocyanins , E202 Potassium sorbate , E300 Ascorbic acid , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E341 Calcium phosphates , E440 Pectins , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E500 Sodium carbonates

As written on the pack

Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)], Apple and Raspberry Jam Filling (23%) [Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Apple Concentrate, Raspberry Concentrate, Gelling Agent (Pectins), Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Sodium Citrates), Colour (Anthocyanins), Flavouring, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate)], Water, Palm Oil, Sugar, Caster Sugar, Yeast, Rapeseed Oil, Emulsifiers (Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Mono - and Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Raising Agents (Calcium Phosphates, Sodium Carbonates, Potassium Carbonates), Salt, Wheat Protein, Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic Acid).

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.

  • 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.
  • E440 Pectins Pectins are gelling agents extracted from citrus peel or apple pomace.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
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  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Gelling agent Gelling agents such as pectin, gelatine or carrageenan set liquids into gels and stabilise textures.

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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
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.

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • 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 14 doughnuts

From least to most processed, this one ranks 7th. 86% of the doughnuts 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 14 doughnuts, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0206730001151, last edited 27 March 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.