Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Galaxy Instant Hot Chocolate ultra-processed?

25g Instant chocolate powders Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Galaxy Instant Hot Chocolate

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:

  • 33 ingredients
  • 13 additives

Less processed instant chocolate powders

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

Whey Permeate, Sugar, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Coconut Oil, Dried Glucose Syrup, Lactose, Milk Chocolate 3% (sugar, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, cocoa mass, lactose, protein from whey, palm fat, whey powder, milk fat, soya lecithin, natural vanilla extract), Skimmed Milk Powder, Flavourings, e412, e466, e340ii, e339i, e452, Low Sodium Salt (sea salt, potassium chloride, magnesium sulphate), e551, Milk Proteins, e471, e955

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E339 Sodium phosphates , E339i Monosodium phosphate , E340 Potassium phosphates , E340ii Dipotassium phosphate , E412 Guar gum , E452 Polyphosphates , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E508 Potassium chloride , E551 Silicon dioxide , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Whey Permeate (milk), Sugar, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Coconut Oil, Dried Glucose Syrup, Lactose (milk), Milk Chocolate 3.0% (sugar, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, cocoa mass, lactose and protein from whey (milk), palm fat, whey powder (milk), milk fat, emulsifier (soya lecithin), natural vanilla extract), Skimmed Milk Powder, Flavourings, Stabilisers (E412, E466, E340ii, E339i, E452), Low Sodium Salt (sea salt, potassium chloride, magnesium sulphate), Anti-Caking Agent (E551); Milk Proteins, Emulsifier (E471), Sweetener (E955).

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.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E452 Polyphosphates 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.
  • E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • E551 Silicon dioxide 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.
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  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • 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.

  • 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.
  • Lactose Lactose is milk sugar, crystallised industrially from whey, a by-product of cheese making.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • 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 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.
  • 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 51 instant chocolate powders

From least to most processed, this one ranks 48th. 88% of the instant chocolate powders 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 51 instant chocolate powders, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060113912701, last edited 17 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.