Butternut Squash Lasagne
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
6
0 we grade moderate or higher
3 of them not yet assessed here
Salt per 100g
0.44g
Medium
UK FSA front of pack threshold
Three separate readings, kept apart on purpose. This is not a score, and none of it says this product is harmful.
Additives (6)
This label lists 4 colours and 2 thickeners and gelling agents.
E407
Carrageenan
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A gel forming fibre extracted from red seaweed.
Why it is used. Thickens dairy, plant milks, desserts and some processed meats.
What the evidence says. Food grade carrageenan is permitted. A degraded form called poligeenan is harmful, but that is not what goes into food. Some lab and animal work links carrageenan to gut inflammation, which keeps it under review, but human evidence is limited and mixed.
Permitted, including in organic food in many places, though a few specialist products avoid it as a precaution.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E407
E100
Curcumin
Yellow colour
What it is. The yellow pigment from turmeric root.
Why it is used. Colours mustards, sauces, dairy, confectionery and savoury snacks.
What the evidence says. A plant pigment people have eaten as a spice for a very long time, and regulators treat it as safe with an acceptable daily intake. EFSA noted that children who eat a lot of the foods it is used in could approach that intake, which is a reason to watch total use rather than a sign of harm.
Permitted with maximum levels in the foods where it is allowed.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E100
E160A
Carotenes
Yellow to orange colour
What it is. The orange pigments found in carrots and other vegetables, either extracted or made synthetically.
Why it is used. Colours margarine, soft drinks, dairy, and sweets.
What the evidence says. The same compound the body turns into vitamin A, and safe at the levels used in food. High dose beta-carotene supplements have been linked to harm in smokers, but those doses are far above anything a colour in food delivers, and conflating the two is a common mistake.
Permitted. The supplement findings apply to concentrated doses, not to food colouring.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E160A
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E150A Plain caramel colour
- E160C Paprika extract, capsanthin colour
- E412 Guar gum thickener
Names and jobs come from the register of additives permitted in Great Britain, which we have not finished transcribing: a code shown without a name is a gap in our coverage, not a finding that it is unapproved. Naming one is not grading it either. Full detail appears only where we have an assessment against a named authority, so all of this describes our coverage rather than these additives. Most are common and low concern.
Ingredients
Cooked Lentils (Water, Green Lentils), Butternut Squash (24%), Water, Tomato (8%), Onion, Passata (7%), Fortified British Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Rapeseed Oil, Garlic Puree, Cornflour, Tomato Paste, Basil, Coconut Oil, Yeast Extract, Balsamic Vinegar, Mushroom Concentrate, Tapioca Starch, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed), Salt, Smoked Paprika, White Wine Vinegar, Sundried Tomatoes, Soya Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Red Chilli Purée, Cane Molasses, Modified Potato Starch, Oregano, Onion Concentrate, Mustard Powder, Yeast, Black Pepper, Oat Fibre, Thickeners: Carrageenan, Guar Gum; Natural Flavourings, Parsley, Colours: Plain Caramel, Paprika Extract, Carotenes; Rosemary, White Pepper, Garlic Extract, Modified Corn Starch, Basil Extract, Turmeric Extract. The flavouring used in this product is sourced from natural sources.
As printed on the pack, in the producer's own order: ingredients are listed by weight, so what comes first is most of what is in it. E numbers link to their assessment where we have one.