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Cadbury

Cadbury Flake Minis

Name: Cadbury Flake Minis
Brand: Cadbury

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 4ultra-processedcontains palm oilsustainably sourced cocoaartificial flavouringhigh sugar expectedpregnancy-safenut-freegluten-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

14.5 g

Pack

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Ingredients

Barcode

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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 · 3 ingredients shown

Caution3 of 7 ingredients

SugarCaution

Vegetable Fat (Palm)Caution

Emulsifiers (E476 from Vegetable Oils, E322)Caution

Cleared 4▾

Full Cream Milk PowderCleared

Cocoa MassCleared

Cocoa ButterCleared

Natural and Artificial Flavors (Vanillin)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.

1/3

claims fully supported

“Minis Great for Sharing”unverified

The product is packaged in a resealable sharing pouch with individual mini bars — the format is consistent with sharing use, but this is a subjective marketing statement with no nutritional or safety dimension to verify.

“The Crumbliest Flakiest Family Milk Chocolate”unverified

The Arabic label description confirms 'رقائق هشة' (crispy/crumbly flakes) and the product meets the 'Family Milk Chocolate' standard (milk solids ≥20%, cocoa solids ≥20% per caveats). The superlative 'crumbliest/flakiest' is unverifiable, but the product type descriptor is accurate.

“100% Sustainably Sourced Cocoa”true

The certifications field explicitly lists 'Cocoa Life - 100% Sustainably Sourced Cocoa', directly supporting this claim.

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

Sustainably sourced cocoa via Cocoa Life certification
Palm oil capped at 5% max, limiting saturated fat contribution from that source
Cocoa mass present — natural source of cocoa flavanols

Working against

Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): emulsifiers and artificial flavouring present
Sugar is the first-listed ingredient
Contains palm oil with associated genotoxic process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD)
Nearly all nutrition values absent — sugar, fat, sodium undeclared
Contains artificial vanillin flavouring
No FSSAI licence number present despite country of sale being India
High expected saturated fat from cocoa butter and palm oil combination

Who should approach with care

Diabetes — Sugar is the leading ingredient and is rapidly hydrolysed to glucose and fructose, causing sharp postprandial blood glucose spikes hazardous for individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Infants — Cocoa mass supplies caffeine and theobromine that infant livers cannot efficiently metabolise, and cadmium exposure from cocoa relative to very low infant body weight is a documented EFSA concern; palm oil's genotoxic process contaminants (GE) are also a particular concern for this age group.

Lactose Intolerance — Full cream milk powder retains the full lactose content of cow's milk and will reliably trigger gastrointestinal symptoms in lactose-intolerant individuals.

Other — Individuals with confirmed cow's milk protein allergy or soy allergy must avoid this product — milk powder is a major allergen and soy lecithin (E322) can retain residual soy protein sufficient to trigger allergic reactions in sensitised individuals.

Children — High free sugar intake is strongly associated with dental caries in children; cocoa mass can push toddlers' cadmium exposure toward EFSA's tolerable weekly intake; and palm oil's GE/3-MCPD contaminants represent a proportionally higher relative exposure for lower-body-weight children.

Pregnancy — Cocoa mass contributes caffeine (EFSA recommends <200 mg/day total during pregnancy); palm oil carries potential exposure to genotoxic process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD) during a nutritionally critical period; and PGPR (E476) has limited reproductive toxicity data per EFSA 2017.

Heart Disease — Cocoa butter and palm oil together deliver substantial saturated fat (palmitic acid can raise LDL cholesterol), and high sugar intake exacerbates cardiometabolic risk in individuals with established cardiovascular disease.

Hypertension — High saturated fat from cocoa butter and palm oil combined with excess sugar intake is associated with dyslipidaemia, endothelial dysfunction, and elevated blood pressure in individuals already managing hypertension.

Kidney Disease — Cocoa mass is high in oxalates promoting calcium-oxalate stone formation; whole milk powder contributes phosphorus requiring restriction in CKD; and excess sugar worsens obesity and hypertension, which are independent drivers of CKD progression.

Ibs — Cocoa mass methylxanthines may alter gut motility and relax the lower oesophageal sphincter, and high sucrose intake can exacerbate fermentation and bloating in IBS-susceptible individuals.

Migraine — Cocoa mass contains phenylethylamine and theobromine, which are recognised dietary triggers for migraine episodes in susceptible individuals.

Ibd — High-fat ingredients including cocoa butter may exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms and fat malabsorption in individuals with active inflammatory bowel disease.

Phenylketonuria — Milk proteins from full cream milk powder supply phenylalanine that must be carefully accounted for within a strictly controlled PKU dietary regimen; artificial vanilla flavour formulations may also carry adjuncts requiring scrutiny.

The full analysis

Cadbury Flake Minis are a share-bag format of India's widely consumed milk chocolate, aimed at snackers and family occasions. The product is ultra-processed (NOVA 4) by virtue of its emulsifier pair (E476, E322) and artificial vanillin flavouring — ingredients that have no place in home cooking. Sugar leads the ingredient list, and while absolute sugar content in grams is not declared on available label data, it is structurally the dominant ingredient. Palm oil is present at up to 5% and carries concerns around genotoxic process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD) identified by EFSA; the Cocoa Life certification for sustainably sourced cocoa is a genuine positive. The single most useful thing to know: nearly all detailed nutrition figures (total sugar, fat, sodium, protein) are missing from the label data captured, so consumers cannot make an informed comparison — but the ingredient order and product category leave little doubt this is a high-sugar, high-saturated-fat confectionery item best treated as an occasional treat.

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Analysis

Independently researched