Summary feedback
Modern Cake Fruit Delight manufactured by Hindustan Unilever Ltd is a popular tea time snack in India. While reviewing this product we note that HUL has not included the quantity of each ingredient on the label or a nutritional profile. This is essential as consumers have a right to know exactly what they are eating.
This product contains edible vegetable fat as an ingredient and brands tend to obscure the fact that they have used hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by using the term “edible vegetable fat”. Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “transfats”, which are harmful to health. Transfats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
The foodnetindia rating for this product :-
foodnetindia safety rating: 4 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
Modern Cake Fruit delight contains edible vegetable fat as an ingredient, often brands tend to obscure the fact that they have used hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by using the term “edible vegetable fat”. Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “trans-fats”, which are harmful to health. Trans-fats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating: 4 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
Modern Cake fruit delight contains nutritious eggs and fruit in it but we also note that it is a highly processed food containing a lot of sugar and chemical preservatives, stabilizers and emulsifiers in it, which makes it unsuitable for consumption in large quantities.
As childhood obesity and cardiac arrests in youths are on the rise in India, we would advise parents to avoid sugary cakes like these and instead feed children and youngsters milk, fruit, vegetables and whole food which will provide them with wholesome nutrition needed for their growth.
Ingredients in Hindustan Unilever Modern Cake-Fruit Delight which are a concern:
- Sugar
- Salt
- Edible Vegetable Fat
- Artificial Flavour(Vanilla, Orange)
- Permitted synthetic food colour IN120
- IN 473
- IN 474
Sugar
This food product does not specify which sugar has been used and how much. This is important because different sugars have different metabolic effects. For example, Sucrose (Cane Sugar) is very different from Fructose (Fruit Sugar). Some foods use high fructose corn syrup which may be harmful in much lower quantities than sucrose. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to not clearly state what ingredients have been used.
Salt
This food product does not specify how much salt has been used. High sodium diets have been known to be the cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. The recommended daily intake of salt is between 1-3 grams.
Edible Vegetable Fat
Often brands tend to obscure the fact that they have used hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by using the term “edible vegetable fat”. Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “transfats”, which are harmful to health. Transfats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
This food product does not specify which edible vegetable fat has been used. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to avoid clearly stating what ingredients have been used.
A vegetable oil is a triglyceride extracted from a plant. Such oils have been part of human culture for millennia. The term “vegetable oil” can be narrowly defined as referring only to plant oils that are liquid at room temperature, or broadly defined without regard to a substance’s state of matter at a given temperature. For this reason, vegetable oils that are solid at room temperature are sometimes called vegetable fats.
Artificial Flavour (Vanilla, Orange)
This food product does not specify which flavours or flavouring substances have been used. The flavours should be specified as some of them have serious side effects and may not be suitable for infants, pregnant women or people who are allergic. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to avoid clearly stating what ingredients have been used.
By not specifying what these flavours and substances are, we are forced to consider what they are hiding and why would they be so reluctant to mention what they have used in the food product!
Permitted synthetic food colour: IN 120
It is a natural red food colour isolated from the insects Dactylopius coccus, living on different species of succulents. IN 120(i) is the pure colour, whereas IN 120(ii) is the crude extract. It is a red food colour. Very soluble in water.
No side effects in the concentrations used in foods. Increased hyperactivity has been reported in a few cases. Contact allergy is well known when used in cosmetics..
Sucrose esters of fatty acid: IN 473
Esters of sugar and synthetic fats, produced from glycerol and natural fatty acids. The fatty acids are mainly from plant origin, but also fats of animal origin may be used. The product generally is a mixture of different components, with a composition similar to partially digested natural fat esterified with sugar. Emulsifier and modifying agent. The products are first digested to sugar and fats. The body metabolises all components identical to sugar and natural fat. The individual components of the mono- and diglycerides are also produced normally in the body when digesting normal fat. May cause stomach pain, nausea, bloating, diarrhoea. May contain residues of solvents used in making. Although mainly vegetable oils are used, the use of animal fat cannot be excluded unless specified by the brand.
Sucroglycerides: IN 474
It is an odourless, soft, solid masses, white to off-white powders, or stiff gels. The function(s) performed by the food additive when used in cooking. Sucroglycerides are not permitted in food products in Australia and New Zealand.
Ingredients present Hindustan Unilever Modern Cake-Fruit Delight which are not a concern
- Egg
- Fine wheat Flour
- Glazed fruit
- Corn Flour
- Golden syrup
- IN472e
- Baking Powder
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin A
- IN260
- IN 200
- IN 464
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The ingredients list of the products may have changed since this page was published. Consumers are encouraged to read warnings, labels, ingredient lists, etc.
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