Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Lyles's Lyle's Golden Syrup Sticky Pudding Cake ultra-processed?

Sponge cakes Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Lyles's Lyle's Golden Syrup Sticky Pudding Cake

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:

  • 28 ingredients
  • 8 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

Golden Syrup (Partially Inverted Refiners Syrup), Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Vegetable Oils (Palm Vegetable Oils, Rapeseed Vegetable Oils), Sugar, Sorbitol, e471, Whey, Milk Protein, Wheat Starch, Sodium Bicarbonate, Guar Gum, whole Egg, Modified Starch, Wheat Protein, Salt, Natural Flavouring (Plain Caramel), Potassium Sorbate, including .cereals containing gluten

Additives: E14XX Modified Starch , E150a Plain caramel , E202 Potassium sorbate , E412 Guar gum , E420 Sorbitol , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

Golden Syrup (Partially Inverted Refiners Syrup)(43%), Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Vegetable Oils (Palm, Rapeseed), Sugar, Humectant (Sorbitol), Emulsifier (E471), Dried Whey (Milk), Milk Protein, Wheat Starch, Raising Agent (Sodium Bicarbonate), Stabiliser (Guar Gum), Dried whole Egg, Modified Starch, Wheat Protein, Salt, Natural Flavouring (Colour: Plain Caramel), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate). For allergens, including .cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold. May also contain Peanuts, Nuts, Soya, Mustard.

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.

  • E14xx Modified Starch Modified starches (E1400 to E1452) are starches treated physically, with enzymes or chemically so that they thicken and hold up to heating, freezing or acidity better than ordinary starch.
  • E150a Plain caramel Plain caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E420 Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and to keep products moist.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
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  • Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

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.

  • Invert sugar Invert sugar is ordinary sugar split into glucose and fructose with acid or enzymes.
  • 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.
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.

  • 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.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 13 sponge cakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 8th. 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 5000168002415, last edited 22 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.