BRAMWELLS Soba EXPRESS Noodles YAKITORI FLAVOUR
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
9
0 we grade moderate or higher
4 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
5.89g
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 (9)
This label lists 2 colours, 2 flavour enhancers, 2 preservatives, 2 thickeners and gelling agents and 1 raising agent.
E202
Potassium sorbate
Preservative
What it is. The potassium salt of sorbic acid, which stops mould and yeast growth.
Why it is used. Used in cheese, baked goods, dried fruit, wine and dressings.
What the evidence says. Widely used and long regarded as one of the gentler preservatives. EFSA's 2015 re-evaluation lowered the acceptable daily intake and noted gaps in the genotoxicity data, asking for more work, while finding no evidence of harm at the levels actually used.
Permitted with maximum levels. EFSA has asked for further data rather than restricted it.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E202
E211
Sodium benzoate
Preservative
What it is. A preservative that stops yeasts, moulds and some bacteria growing in acidic foods.
Why it is used. Used in soft drinks, sauces, pickles and dressings.
What the evidence says. EFSA re-evaluated it in 2016 and kept an acceptable daily intake, with normal exposure below it. The known issue is specific: in acidic drinks that also contain vitamin C, benzoate can form small amounts of benzene, so manufacturers reformulated to avoid the combination. It was also present in the drink mixes used in the Southampton hyperactivity study, though the warning requirement that followed applies to the colours rather than to benzoate.
Permitted with maximum levels in the foods where it is allowed.
Assessed against EFSA, UK FSA. Full entry for E211
E466
Carboxymethyl cellulose
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A modified plant fibre used to thicken and stabilise.
Why it is used. Common in ice cream, low fat products, gluten free bakery and sauces.
What the evidence says. Falls in the same emulsifier and gut research bucket as polysorbate 80, with early human work hinting at effects on the microbiome. Interesting, not conclusive.
Permitted with limits.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E466
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
E621
Monosodium glutamate
Flavour enhancer
What it is. The sodium salt of glutamate, an amino acid found naturally in tomatoes, cheese and mushrooms.
Why it is used. Boosts savoury, umami flavour in stocks, crisps, ready meals and sauces.
What the evidence says. The old idea of MSG causing headaches and flushing, once called Chinese restaurant syndrome, has not held up in controlled trials. Regulators worldwide treat it as safe at normal intake. A genuinely useful example of a feared additive that the evidence exonerates.
Permitted and classed as safe. Adds to total sodium, so it counts towards salt if a product uses a lot.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA, US FDA. Full entry for E621
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E160C Paprika extract, capsanthin colour
- E412 Guar gum thickener
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
- E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides flavour enhancer
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, Seasoning Sauce [Water, Sunflower Oil, Vinegar, Flavour Enhancers: Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium 5'-Ribonucleotides; Flavouring (Water, Salt, Maltodextrin, Onion Powder, Yeast Extract, Flavouring, Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Stabiliser: Sodium Carboxy Methyl Cellulose), Sugar, Soya Sauce (Water, Soya Beans, Salt, Wheat Flour, Fructose Syrup, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Colour: Plain Caramel Preservative: Sodium Benzoate), Onion Powder, Yeast Extract, Colours: Plain Caramel Paprika Extract; Turmeric Extract, Preservative: Potassium Sorbate), Palm Oil, Vegetables (Dried Onions, Dried Red Peppers, Dried Chives), Modified Potato Starch lodised Salt (Salt, Potassium Iodate), Sugar, Stabiliser: Guar Gum; Garlic Powder, Acidity Regulator: Sodium Carbonates. ALLERGY ADVICE:
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.