Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Rowan Hill Bakery 6 Carrot Cake Slices V ultra-processed?

160g Cakes Sold in the United Kingdom

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:

  • 47 ingredients
  • 14 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed cakes

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

Sugar, Wheat Flour, Rapeseed Oil, Egg, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Stabilisers (Sorbitols), Glycerol, Water, Starch (Potato, Maize, Rice), Sweetened Condensed Skimmed Milk (Skimmed Milk, Sugar), Palm Fat, Humectapt (Glycerol), Cinnamon, Acidity Regulators (Calcium Citrates), Citric Acid, Carrot 1%, Coconut, Lactose, Raising Agents (Sodium Carbonates), Glucono-Delta-Lactone, Caramelised Sugar, Thickeners (Guar Gum), Carrageenan, Emulsifiers (Citric Acid Esters of mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Polysorbate 60, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Glucose Syrup, Salt, Flavouring, Gelling Agent (Agar), Maltodextrin, Malted Wheat Flour

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E330 Citric acid , E333 Calcium citrates , E406 Agar , E407 Carrageenan , E412 Guar gum , E420 Sorbitol , E422 Glycerol , E435 Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E472c Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E475 Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids , E500 Sodium carbonates , E575 Glucono-delta-lactone

As written on the pack

Sugar, Wheat Flour, Rapeseed Oil, Egg, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Stabilisers: Sorbitols, Glycerol; Water, Starch (Potato, Maize, Rice), Sweetened Condensed Skimmed Milk (Skimmed Milk, Sugar), Palm Fat, Humectapt: Glycerol; Cinnamon, Acidity Regulators: Calcium Citrates, Citric Acid; 1% Carrot Pieces, Coconut, Lactose (Milk), Raising Agents: Sodium Carbonates, Glucono-Delta-Lactone; Caramelised Sugar, Thickeners: Guar Gum, Carrageenan; Emulsifiers: Citric Acid Esters of Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Polysorbate 60, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Mono - and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids; Preservative: Potassium Sorbate; Glucose Syrup, Salt, Flavouring, Gelling Agent: Agar; Maltodextrin, Malted Wheat Flour. Allergy Advice

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.

  • E406 Agar 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.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • 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.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • E435 Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate 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.
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  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • E472c Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Antioxidants are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by oxidation, such as fat rancidity and colour changes.
  • E475 Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids 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.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Gelling agent Gelling agents such as pectin, gelatine or carrageenan set liquids into gels and stabilise textures.
  • Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.

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.
  • Lactose Lactose is milk sugar, crystallised industrially from whey, a by-product of cheese making.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
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.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • 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.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 377 cakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 363rd. 94% of the 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 377 cakes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4056489750925, 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.
  • 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 D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.