Is Nestlé Ideal Original Evaporated Milk ultra-processed?

Milks 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:

Emulsifier
Thickener
E407 Carrageenan

8 ingredients
3 additives
Nutri-Score E

Less processed milks

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

Milk, Palm Olein, e339, e340, Emulsifier (ultra-processing marker) (Thickener (ultra-processing marker)), carrageenan (ultra-processing marker), Vitamin D

Additives: E339 Sodium phosphates , E340 Potassium phosphates , E407 Carrageenan

As written on the pack

Milk solids, Palm Olein, E339, E340; Emulsifier: Thickener: carrageenan; Vitamin D.

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.

E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 440 milks

From least to most processed, this one ranks 384th. 24% of the milks 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 440 milks, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 6033000089571, last edited 2 August 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.
NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.