Sausage & Cheese Tortelloni
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
6
1 we grade moderate or higher
3 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
4.64g
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 2 acidity regulators, 2 preservatives, 1 antioxidant and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
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
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
- E301 Sodium ascorbate antioxidant
- E339 Sodium phosphates 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
Wheat Flour, 12% Egg, 9.5% Pork Sausage (91% Pork, Water, Salt, Vegetable Fibre [Bamboo, Peal, Dextrose, Natural Flavourings, Preservative: Potassium Nitrate), Durum Wheat Semolina, Water, 5% Cooked Mortadella Pork Sausage ( 96% Pork, Water, Salt, Natural Flavourings, Antioxidant: Sodium Ascorbate; Preservative: Sodium Nitrite), Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Salt, Yeast), Whey Powder (Milk), Smoked Cooked Ham (70% Pork, Water, Salt. Dextrose, Sugar, Flavourings, Spices, Stabilisers: Carrageenan, Sodium Phosphates; Antioxidant: Sodium Ascorbate; Preservative: Sodium Nitrite), Ricotta Soft Cheese (Milk) (contains Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid), Sunflower Oil, Vegetable Fibre (Bamboo, Psyllium), 0.7% Smoked Provolone Semi-hard Cheese (Milk), Salt, Garlic, Nutmeg, Black Pepper. Allergy Advice: For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see ingredients in bold. May also contain Celery, Crustaceans, Fish, Mustard, Nuts and Soya.
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.