Ham Hock, Cheese and Chutney
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
10
1 we grade moderate or higher
6 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
8.40g
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 (10)
This label lists 2 acidity regulators, 2 antioxidants, 2 preservatives, 2 raising agents, 1 colour and 1 additive.
E250
Sodium nitrite
Preservative and colour fixer, cured meats
What it is. A curing salt that keeps cured and processed meats pink and stops the growth of the bacteria behind botulism.
Why it is used. Used in bacon, ham, salami and hot dogs for preservation, safety and colour.
What the evidence says. The concern is not the additive in isolation but processed meat as a whole, which the WHO's cancer agency IARC classes as Group 1, meaning there is sufficient evidence it causes colorectal cancer. Nitrite can form nitrosamines during curing and cooking, and those are the likely culprit. Risk rises with how much processed meat you eat over time.
Permitted with strict maximum levels. The EU cut the allowed limits further from 2023 to reduce nitrosamine formation.
Assessed against IARC, EFSA, UK FSA. Full entry for E250
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
E300
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Antioxidant
What it is. Vitamin C, added to protect colour and flavour and sometimes to fortify.
Why it is used. Stops browning in juices and cut fruit, protects fats, and boosts vitamin content.
What the evidence says. Beneficial and harmless at the levels used. Included here as a reminder that an E number is just a code, and plenty of them are ordinary nutrients.
Permitted freely, no concern.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E300
E330
Citric acid
Acidity regulator
What it is. A mild acid found naturally in citrus fruit, made commercially by fermentation.
Why it is used. Adds tartness, balances flavour and helps preserve. One of the most used additives in food.
What the evidence says. Safe at food levels. No credible health concern for the additive itself.
Permitted freely.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E330
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E252 Potassium nitrate preservative
- E296 Malic acid acidity regulator
- E301 Sodium ascorbate antioxidant
- E422 Glycerol other
- E450 Diphosphates raising agent
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
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
Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Ham Hock (20%) [Pork, Water, Salt, Sugar, Preservatives (Sodium Nitrite, Potassium Nitrate), Antioxidant (Sodium Ascorbate)], Coloured Cheddar Cheese (with Colour: Beta Carotene) (Milk) (7%), Lettuce, Medium Fat Soft Cheese (Milk), Apple, Palm Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Sugar, Cornflour, Sucrose, Sultanas, Raising Agents (Sodium Bicarbonate, Disodium Diphosphate, Malic Acid), Humectant (Glycerol), White Wine Vinegar, Dried Onion, Ale (Barley), Potato Starch, Pasteurised Egg Yolk, Salt, Molasses, Mustard Seed, Mustard Flour, Clove Powder, Cinnamon Powder, Sunflower Oil, Antioxidants (Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid).
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.