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The Health Factory

Zero Maida Rusk Classic Milk

Name: Zero Maida Rusk Classic Milk
Brand: The Health Factory

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 4zero maidahigh fibreno palm oilno artificial coloursno emulsifierslactose-freepregnancy-safenut-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

16 g

Pack

80 g

Ingredients

Barcode

8908009059437

Buy on Amazon

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 10 ingredients

Cane SugarCaution

Wheat GlutenCaution

Cleared 8▾

Chakki Fresh Atta (Whole Wheat Flour)Cleared

SoojiCleared

Rice Bran Oil (Edible Vegetable Oil)Cleared

Milk SolidsCleared

YeastCleared

Iodised SaltCleared

Rosemary ExtractE 392Cleared

Cultured GlucoseCleared

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.

8/9

claims fully supported

“Zero Maida”true

Ingredient list contains Chakki Fresh Atta (Whole Wheat Flour), Sooji (semolina), and Wheat Gluten — no refined wheat flour (maida) is listed anywhere.

“No Chemical Preservatives”true

Rosemary extract (E392, a natural antioxidant preservative) and cultured glucose (a fermentation-derived biopreservative) are used. Both are natural/biological in origin, not synthetic chemical preservatives; the claim is technically defensible under a 'no synthetic preservatives' reading.

“No Emulsifiers”true

No emulsifiers appear anywhere in the ingredient list or raw label data.

“No Colours”true

No artificial or natural colour additives appear in the ingredient list or raw label data.

“No Palm Oil”true

The only oil declared is Rice Bran Oil (Edible Vegetable Oil); no palm oil or palm fraction is listed.

“Source of Protein”true

Per 100g the product provides 14.37g protein, contributing ~13% of total energy from protein — meeting the typical 'source of protein' threshold (≥10% of energy from protein). Per serving (16g) absolute protein is modest at ~2.3g, but the percentage criterion is satisfied.

“High Fibre - 7g Per Pack”true

Raw label data shows 9.37g dietary fibre per 100g; across the 80g pack this gives ~7.5g — consistent with the '7g per pack' claim.

“11g Protein Per Pack”true

Raw label data shows 14.37g protein per 100g; across the 80g pack this gives ~11.5g — consistent with the '11g per pack' claim.

“Clean Label Promise”unverified

'Clean label' has no standardised regulatory definition under FSSAI or any major authority. The product uses no synthetic preservatives, artificial colours, or emulsifiers, and names recognisable ingredients — which aligns with common industry interpretations of 'clean label'. However, it does contain two functional preservatives (rosemary extract, cultured glucose) and an isolated protein (wheat gluten), which some definitions would exclude.

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

No refined flour (maida) — whole wheat flour and semolina only
No palm oil; uses rice bran oil
No artificial colours or emulsifiers
Good dietary fibre: ~9.4g per 100g (7.5g per pack)
Decent protein: ~14.4g per 100g (11.5g per pack)
Zero trans fat

Working against

NOVA 4 ultra-processed due to preservative additives
Relatively high sodium at ~480mg per 100g
Added sugar present (~9.8g per 100g)
Contains wheat gluten (added isolate, beyond flour's natural gluten)
Not suitable for gluten-intolerant or coeliac consumers

Who should approach with care

Gluten Intolerance — Contains whole wheat flour, semolina, and added wheat gluten — all potent sources of gliadin and glutenin that cause autoimmune intestinal destruction in coeliac disease; strict lifelong avoidance is mandatory.

Lactose Intolerance — Contains 6% milk solids which include lactose; may trigger bloating, cramping, or diarrhoea in lactose-intolerant individuals depending on sensitivity and portion size.

Infants — Contains iodised salt (inappropriate for infants' immature kidneys), gluten (timing of introduction matters for coeliac risk), and milk solids (cow's milk protein allergy risk); introduction should only be under paediatric guidance.

Diabetes — Contains cane sugar (~9.8g added sugar per 100g) and moderate-GI cereals (whole wheat flour, semolina) that raise post-prandial blood glucose; careful portion control and carbohydrate counting are required.

Hypertension — Sodium content is ~480mg per 100g from iodised salt and cultured glucose; individuals on sodium-restricted diets should account for cumulative sodium from this product.

Kidney Disease — Contributes sodium (from salt and cultured glucose), phosphorus (from milk solids and wheat), and potassium (from wheat); patients with CKD on mineral-restricted diets should limit intake under dietitian supervision.

Heart Disease — Sodium at ~480mg per 100g from iodised salt promotes fluid retention and cardiovascular load; patients with heart disease should monitor intake in the context of their prescribed sodium limits.

Pregnancy — Iodised salt may not meet elevated pregnancy iodine requirements (200–250 µg/day) while risking excess if combined with supplementation; rosemary extract at food-additive levels is low risk but high-dose traditional contraindication warrants awareness.

Lactation — Iodine adequacy during lactation is critical for infant neurodevelopment; a clinician should confirm whether iodised salt in the diet adequately meets the elevated 200 µg/day iodine requirement.

Thyroid Disease — Iodised salt can precipitate iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis or worsen autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Hashimoto's or Graves' disease; individuals with pre-existing thyroid disorders should seek medical guidance.

Ibs — Whole wheat flour and semolina are high in fructans (fermentable oligosaccharides/FODMAPs) that can exacerbate bloating, gas, and altered bowel habits in IBS patients following a low-FODMAP protocol.

Ibd — Added wheat gluten may exacerbate intestinal barrier dysfunction in susceptible IBD patients, and baker's yeast (ASCA antigen) may aggravate Crohn's disease during active flares; gastroenterologist consultation is advisable.

Gout — Yeast is among the richest dietary sources of purines (metabolised to uric acid) and cane sugar's fructose moiety also elevates serum urate; both can trigger or worsen gout attacks in predisposed individuals.

Epilepsy — Rosemary extract contains camphor-related constituents that at concentrated doses may lower the seizure threshold; food-additive-level exposure is low risk but persons with epilepsy should be aware.

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

The full analysis

This product is marketed as a cleaner alternative to conventional rusk—positioning itself on the absence of maida, palm oil, emulsifiers, artificial colours, and chemical preservatives. Health-conscious urban consumers who snack on rusk with tea will find the whole wheat and fibre story broadly credible: per-pack fibre (~7.5g) and protein (~11.5g) figures check out against the label's own per-100g nutrition data. However, note that the top-level nutrition figures in the product record appear to be per-serving (16g) values, not per-100g—the actual per-100g numbers from raw label data (442 kcal, 14.4g protein, 480mg sodium, 9.8g added sugar) paint a more energy- and sodium-dense picture than the headline numbers suggest. Two natural preservatives (rosemary extract and cultured glucose) are used, which is honest 'clean-label' practice but still tips the product into NOVA 4 ultra-processed territory. The most useful takeaway: this is a meaningfully better rusk than maida-based alternatives, but it is still a processed, wheat-heavy, moderate-sodium snack—not suitable for gluten-intolerant individuals, and worth portion-controlling for diabetics and those watching sodium.

FSSAI licence

11522998000168

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched