Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Ovaltine Original Light ultra-processed?

1 x 300g Instant beverages Sold in the United Kingdom and France

Pack of Ovaltine Original Light

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
  • 8 additives

Less processed instant beverages

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

skimmed MILK, BARLEY malt extract 46%, glucose syrup, vegetable oils (coconut vegetable oils, rapeseed vegetable oils), fat-reduced cocoa powder 6%, salt, minerals (dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, ferric pyrophosphate), stabilisers, e452, e340i, MILK protein, vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, e471, acesulfame K, anti-caking agent, Find out more (ra.org)

Additives: E340 Potassium phosphates , E340i Monopotassium phosphate , E341 Calcium phosphates , E341ii Dicalcium phosphate , E452 Polyphosphates , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E551 Silicon dioxide , E950 Acesulfame k

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E551 Silicon dioxide.

As written on the pack

Condensed skimmed MILK, BARLEY malt extract 46%, glucose syrup, vegetable oils (coconut, rapeseed), fat-reduced cocoa powder¹ 6%, salt, minerals (dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, ferric pyrophosphate), stabilisers (E452(1), E340(i), MILK protein, vitamins (E, C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folic acid, B12, biotin, pantothenic acid), emulsifier (E471), sweetener (acesulfame K), anti-caking agent (551). Rainforest Alliance Certified. Find out more: ra.org

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.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.

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.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
3 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.

  • Anti-caking agent Anti-caking agents are substances which reduce the tendency of individual particles of a foodstuff to adhere to one another.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 197 instant beverages

From least to most processed, this one ranks 172nd. 57% of the instant beverages 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 197 instant beverages, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 7612100015636, last edited 19 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.