Is IRN Bru ultra-processed?

500 ml Sodas Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of IRN Bru

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:

  • 29 ingredients
  • 6 additives

Less processed sodas

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

carbonated water, sugar (processing marker), citric acid, flavourings including caffeine, ammonium ferric citrate, quinine, aspartame (ultra-processing marker), acesulfame k (ultra-processing marker), e211, sunset yellow fat fcf, ponceau 4r (ultra-processing marker), sunset yellow fcf (ultra-processing marker), ponceau 4r (ultra-processing marker) (may have an adverse of which sebua effect on activity and attention in children, contains a source of phenylalanin, carbohydrate best before end), see below label and shoulder of bottle a.g, barr, freepost rrgu-sery-rsak, glasgow, g68 9hq, uk, a.g, bar, fitzwilliam hall, fp, dublin, roi, d02 1292 consumercare@agbar.co.uk www.im-bru.co.uk

Additives: E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E124 Ponceau 4r , E211 Sodium benzoate , E330 Citric acid , E950 Acesulfame k , E951 Aspartame

As written on the pack

carbonated water, sugar, acid (citric acid), flavourings including caffeine, ammonium ferric citrate & quinine), sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame k), preservative (e211), colours (sunset yellow fat fcf, ponceau 4r), sunset yellow fcf & ponceau 4r: may have an adverse of which sebua effect on activity and attention in children. contains a source of phenylalanin. carbohydrate best before end: see below label or shoulder of bottle a.g. barr, freepost rrgu-sery-rsak, glasgow, g68 9hq, uk. a.g. bar, fitzwilliam hall, fp, dublin, roi, d02 1292 consumercare@agbar.co.uk www.im-bru.co.uk

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.

  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E124 Ponceau 4r 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.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E951 Aspartame Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, used in diet drinks and sugar-free products.
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.

  • Sodas Products in the category "Sodas" are at least group 3.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 612 sodas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 398th. 94% of the sodas 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 612 sodas, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000382112686, last edited 5 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.