Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Wrigleys Extra Refreshers ultra-processed?

67 g Sugar-free chewing gum Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Wrigleys Extra Refreshers

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:

  • 19 ingredients
  • 12 additives

Less processed confectioneries

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

sweeteners (xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, aspartame sucralose, acesulfame k), gum base flavourings, humectant (glycerol), thickener (gum arabic), emulsifier (soya lecithin), glazing agent (carnauba wax), antioxidant (BHA), colour (e133)

Additives: E133 Brilliant blue FCF , E320 Butylated hydroxyanisole (bha) , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E414 Acacia gum , E420 Sorbitol , E421 Mannitol , E422 Glycerol , E903 Carnauba wax , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose , E967 Xylitol

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E955 Sucralose.

As written on the pack

SWEETENERS (XYLITOL, SORBITOL, MANNITOL, ASPARTAME SUCRALOSE, ACESULFAME K), GUM BASE FLAVOURINGS, HUMECTANT (GLYCEROL), THICKENER (GUM ARABIC), EMULSIFIER (SOYA LECITHIN), GLAZING AGENT (CARNAUBA WAX), ANTIOXIDANT (BHA), COLOUR (E133).

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.

  • E133 Brilliant blue FCF Brilliant blue FCF is a synthetic blue dye, listed in the US as FD&C Blue No. 1.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E414 Acacia gum Gum arabic (acacia gum) is the hardened sap of acacia trees, used to stabilise flavour emulsions in soft drinks and to coat sweets.
  • E420 Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and to keep products moist.
  • E421 Mannitol Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
Show 10 more
  • E903 Carnauba wax Carnauba wax comes from the leaves of a Brazilian palm and gives sweets and coated chocolates their shine.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • E967 Xylitol 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.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Glazing agent Glazing agents, waxes and shellac for example, coat a surface to make it shiny or stop pieces sticking together.
  • Humectant Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.
  • Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.
1 ingredient that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 76 sugar-free chewing gum

From least to most processed, this one ranks 63rd. 99% of the sugar-free chewing gum 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 76 sugar-free chewing gum, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4009900535861, 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.