Super noodles
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
12
0 we grade moderate or higher
9 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
5.60g
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 (12)
This label lists 5 acidity regulators, 2 flavour enhancers, 1 antioxidant, 1 colour, 1 additive, 1 raising agent and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
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
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
- E270 Lactic acid acidity regulator
- E296 Malic acid acidity regulator
- E306 Tocopherol-rich extract antioxidant
- E326 Potassium lactate acidity regulator
- E412 Guar gum thickener
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
- E501 Potassium carbonates acidity regulator
- E508 Potassium chloride other
- 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
Noodles (80%) (Wheat Flour, Palm Oil, Potato Starch, Acidity Regulators (Potassium Lactate, Citric Acid), Salt, Flavour Enhancer (Monosodium Glutamate), Colour (Carotenes), Antioxidant (Tocopherol-Rich Extract), Stabiliser (Potassium Carbonate), Flour Treatment Agent (Sodium Carbonate)), Maltodextrin, Wheat Flour, Maize Starch, Dried Glucose Syrup, Dried Peas (1%), Salt, Dried Sweetcorn (1%), Flavour Enhancers (Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium 5-ribonucleotides), Flavourings, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Potassium Chloride, Thickener (Guar Gum), Yeast Extract, Ground Turmeric, Acids (Malic Acid, Lactic Acid), Parsley, Black Pepper Extract.
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.