BIRCHWOOD HIGHER WELFARE SMOKY CHORIZO 4 CHICKEN &
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
4
1 we grade moderate or higher
3 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
4.79g
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 (4)
This label lists 1 antioxidant, 1 colour, 1 preservative 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
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E160C Paprika extract, capsanthin colour
- E301 Sodium ascorbate antioxidant
- 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
86% British Diced Chicken Breast, 9% Chorizo Pork Sausage Slices (89% Pork, Water, Salt, Smoked Paprika, Pork Collagen Casing, Dextrose, Garlic Paste, Antioxidant: Sodium Ascorbate; Nutmeg, Preservative: Sodium Nitrite; Oregano), 5% Smoked Paprika Marinade (Sugar, Smoked Paprika, Ground Cumin, Ground Chilli, Salt, Cornflour, Dried Glucose Syrup, Garlic Powder, Tomato Powder, Ground Oregano, Chipotle Chilli, Thickener: Guar Gum; Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Parsley, a Nutrition Paprika Extract, Flavouring). Additional Information: Grills D in 12 minutes. See reverse for full cooking instructions. Ensure food is piping hot, cooked throughout, juices run clear and no pink colour remains before serving, particularly when using charcoal barbecue. Produced in the UK using British chicken and Spanish pork. Packaged in a protective atmosphere. Although every care has been taken to remove bones, some small pieces may remain. Caution: This product contains sharp wooden skewers. Visit us at www.lidl.co.uk or www.lidLie Avara Foods Ltd., Willow Road, Brackley, Northants, NN13 7EX. Lidl Great Britain Ltd, Lidl House, 14 Kingston Road, Surbiton, KTS 9NU Lidl Ireland GmbH, Main Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 PK1201565 320ge per kebab Typical values per 100g Energy 74g 6313467
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.