Is Madagascar vanilla custard ultra-processed?

Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Thickener

32 ingredients
No additives

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Fresh custard with whipping cream and Madagascan vanil Ingredients Whole Milk, Whipping Cream 28%, Sugar (processing marker), Water, Thickeners (ultra-processing marker) (Tapioca Starch (processing marker)), Cornflour, Pasteurised Free Range Egg Yolk, Natural Flavouring (ultra-processing marker), Madagascan Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Bean, see ingredients in bold Heating Instructions This product can be enjoyed hot and heating, the following are guidelines only, Some appliances Microwave (Empty contents into a microwaveable containe Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, Stir thoroughly), rea microwave for a further 1½ minutes, Allow to stand for 1m before serving, Instructions are based on a 750W microwave For higher wattage ovens, heating time should be decrease Hob (Empty contents into a saucepan, Heat gently for 6-8 m stirring occasionally, Do not allow to boil, Ensure food is pipis throughout before serving, Do not reheat, Keep refrigerated, Once opene consume within 24 hours and by the use by date Not suita home freezing, Use by), see lid Adortal Information Suitable for Ve Produced in the UK using Br Disposal (Pot and Lid), widely Film-not yet recycled, Strees Instructions Dale Farm Hous T

As written on the pack

Fresh custard with whipping cream and Madagascan vanil Ingredients Whole Milk, 28% Whipping Cream (Milk) Sugar, Water, Thickeners: Tapioca Starch, Cornflour, Pasteurised Free Range Egg Yolk, Natural Flavouring, Madagascan Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Bean Seeds. Allergy Advice For Allergens, see ingredients in bold Heating Instructions This product can be enjoyed hot or heating, the following are guidelines only. Some appliances Microwave: Empty contents into a microwaveable containe Microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Stir thoroughly, rea microwave for a further 1½ minutes. Allow to stand for 1m before serving. Instructions are based on a 750W microwave For higher wattage ovens, heating time should be decrease Hob: Empty contents into a saucepan. Heat gently for 6-8 m stirring occasionally. Do not allow to boil. Ensure food is pipis throughout before serving. Do not reheat. Keep refrigerated. Once opene consume within 24 hours and by the use by date Not suita home freezing. Use by: see lid Adortal Information Suitable for Ve Produced in the UK using Br Disposal: Pot and Lid - widely Film-not yet recycled. Strees Instructions Dale Farm Hous T

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.

Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.

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.

Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 20844592, 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.