KIRKLAND USE BY DAITE 06/09/25 PROX PROCE £12.46 -
Unknown brand
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
4
1 we grade moderate or higher
1 of them not yet assessed here
Nutrients
–
Nothing above the low band
Or no figures recorded at all
Three separate readings, kept apart on purpose. This is not a score, and none of it says this product is harmful.
Additives (4)
This label lists 2 acidity regulators, 1 emulsifier and 1 preservative.
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
E433
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifier
What it is. A synthetic emulsifier that keeps oil and water mixed and smooth.
Why it is used. Used in ice cream, sauces and some bakery products.
What the evidence says. Part of a wider research question about whether certain emulsifiers disturb the gut lining and microbiome. Most of the evidence so far is from mice and lab models, not people, so it is an active area rather than a settled concern.
Permitted with limits.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E433
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
- E451 Triphosphates acidity regulator
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
KIRKLAND mature Costco Wholesale UK Limited, Hartspring Lane, Watford, Herts WD25 8JS TM USE BY DATE 06/09/25 PACK PRIE £12.4 #00756 COBB SALAD Ingredients. Cos Lettuce (30%), Shredded Chicken Breas (24%)(Chicken Breast (97%),Tapioca Starch, Salt), Baby Plum Tomatoes(12%),Ranch Dressing(12%)(Rapeseed C Water, BUTTERMILK Powder(MILK) Sugar,Spirit Vinegar Salt, Pasteurised EGG Yolk, Garlic Powder, Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate)Onions, Black Pepper,Herbs, Stabilise (Xanthun Gum), Antioxidant(Calcium Disodium EDTA)) Boiled EGGS(10%XFree Range WHOLE EGG,Preservativ Solution(Water, Citric Acid, Trisodium Citrate)) Cucumber(9%), Bacon (3%) (Pork Belly Strip, Salt, Sugar, Emulsifier E451,Preservative E250, Smoke Flavour (Processing Aid E433)) Allergens are highlighted in BOLD Although every care has been made to remove them, small bones may remove May contain traces of MUSTARD
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.