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Amul

Amul Kool Cafe

Name: Amul Kool Cafe
Brand: Amul

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 4added sugarcontains caffeineultra-processeduht treatedflavoured milkgluten-freenut-freepregnancy-safeenjoy in moderation

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01 — Ingredient mix

What’s in the box, ranked from most concerning.

Each ingredient gets a tier from our researched dossier. The list sorts worst-first; the donut summarises the distribution. Tap any ingredient for its full dossier.

Caution · 2 ingredients shown

Caution2 of 5 ingredients

SugarCaution

CoffeeCaution

Cleared 3▾

Standardized milkCleared

Milk solidsCleared

Stabilizer (401)Cleared

02 — Claims audit

Every label claim, fact-checked.

We treat each claim as a question — does what’s inside back it up? Tap a claim for the reasoning.

2/3

claims fully supported

“UHT Treated Flavoured Standardised Milk”true

The product description in EXTRA INFORMATION explicitly confirms: 'UHT Treated Flavoured Standardised Milk', and the ingredient list matches a standardised milk base with flavouring and stabiliser.

“Milk 'n' Coffee”true

The product does contain milk (standardised toned milk + milk solids) and coffee at a declared 0.7%, confirming both components are present.

“The Taste of India”unverified

This is a subjective brand tagline with no objective nutritional, ingredient, or certification data that can confirm or contradict it; it functions as a marketing slogan only.

03 — The fuller picture

Read the whole thing if a one-line verdict isn’t enough.

What’s in favour, and what’s working against it

In favour

Uses real toned milk as primary ingredient
Contains naturally derived stabiliser (sodium alginate from seaweed)
Vegetarian-certified product
FSSAI licensed across all manufacturing units
Coffee content is from natural Coffea spp. source

Working against

Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) due to added emulsifier E401
Added sugar with no declared quantity on available data
Caffeine from coffee — unsuitable for young children and infants
No nutrition panel data available; consumers cannot assess sugar or calorie load
Contains milk — unsuitable for lactose-intolerant individuals

Who should approach with care

Infants — Contains both caffeine (from coffee), which cannot be metabolised by infants, and cow's milk proteins; this product is entirely inappropriate for infants under 12 months.

Lactose Intolerance — Both toned milk and milk solids contain naturally occurring lactose, which will cause bloating, diarrhoea, and cramps in individuals with lactase deficiency.

Children — Coffee contributes caffeine, which EFSA warns can adversely affect the developing CNS in children; added sugar also raises dental caries risk in a population already vulnerable per WHO guidance.

Pregnancy — Coffee contributes caffeine; EFSA recommends pregnant women limit total caffeine from all sources to 200 mg/day to protect fetal growth and development.

Lactation — Caffeine from coffee passes into breast milk and may cause irritability and disturbed sleep in breastfed infants at higher maternal intake levels.

Diabetes — Added sucrose causes sharp postprandial blood glucose spikes; with no declared sugar quantity, portion control is difficult, posing a meaningful risk for type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

Heart Disease — Caffeine at doses of 200–250 mg can induce cardiac arrhythmias in susceptible individuals per EFSA-reviewed studies; combined with likely added sugar load, this warrants medical guidance.

Hypertension — Coffee intake is associated with steeper age-related blood pressure increases in men per EFSA (2015), and excess sugar from sugar-sweetened beverages is independently linked to raised blood pressure.

Kidney Disease — Milk and milk solids contribute phosphorus, potassium, and protein — all requiring dietary restriction in chronic kidney disease — and added sugar worsens cardiometabolic risk that drives CKD progression.

Epilepsy — Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that may lower seizure threshold in some individuals with epilepsy, making regular coffee-containing beverage consumption potentially problematic.

Ibs — Coffee stimulates gastric acid secretion and gut motility (exacerbating diarrhoea and cramping in IBS), and sucrose may worsen fermentation-related bloating in susceptible individuals.

Phenylketonuria — Milk solids contain phenylalanine-rich casein and whey proteins; individuals with PKU must account for this contribution within their strictly controlled low-phenylalanine diet.

Other — Individuals with confirmed cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) must avoid this product entirely, as both toned milk and milk solids contain the allergenic casein and whey proteins.

The full analysis

Amul Kool Cafe is a ready-to-drink flavoured milk aimed at consumers looking for a quick, sweet coffee-milk fix — popular with teenagers and office-goers alike. The product is essentially toned milk enriched with milk solids, sweetened with sugar, and flavoured with a modest 0.7% coffee; the presence of the emulsifier/stabiliser sodium alginate (E401) tips it into ultra-processed territory under NOVA classification. No nutrition panel data was captured (all values null), making it impossible to quantify how much sugar, sodium, or calories you're actually consuming per serving — the most important single thing a consumer should know is that this drink likely carries a significant sugar load typical of flavoured milk beverages, yet that cannot be confirmed from the label data available.

FSSAI licence

10012021000251 / 100

Manufacturer

Multiple manufacturing units: (GA/GB) AmulFed Dairy (A Unit of GCMMF Ltd.); (BF) Banaskantha District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd.; (PA/PB) Panchmahal District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd.

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched