Cheese and Tomato gluten free sandwhich
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
5
0 we grade moderate or higher
2 of them not yet assessed here
Saturates per 100g
5.80g
High
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 (5)
This label lists 3 thickeners and gelling agents, 1 emulsifier and 1 additive.
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
E471
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids
Emulsifier
What it is. Fat derived emulsifiers, closely related to ordinary dietary fats.
Why it is used. One of the most used additives in food: bread, margarine, ice cream, cakes and sauces.
What the evidence says. The body handles these much as it handles other fats, and EFSA's re-evaluation raised no safety concern at the levels used. They sit in the same broad emulsifier and gut microbiome research question as the others, which remains unsettled.
Permitted without a numerical limit. The fat source is not always stated, which matters for some diets rather than for safety.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E471
E415
Xanthan gum
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A fibre made by fermenting sugars with a bacterium, which thickens liquids at very low doses.
Why it is used. Thickens sauces and dressings and gives structure to gluten free baking.
What the evidence says. Passes through largely undigested and is treated as safe by regulators, with no numerical intake limit. Very large amounts act as fibre does, which is a digestive effect rather than a safety one.
Permitted freely.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E415
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E422 Glycerol other
- E464 Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose 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
Mature Cheddar cheese (milk) (23%), Water, Tomato (21%), Tapioca starch, Rapeseed oil, Rice flour, Bamboo fibre, Sunflower seeds, Potato starch, Dried egg white, Thickeners (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, xanthan gum, sodium carboxymethylcellulose), Golden linseed flour, Sugar, Psyllium husk powder, Maize starch, Millet seeds, Humectant (glycerol), Golden linseed, Maize germ, Brown linseed, Cornflour, Salt, Egg yolk, Yeast, Spirit vinegar, Poppy seeds, Pasteurised egg, Concentrated lemon juice, Mustard seeds, Caramelised sugar, Emulsifier (mono - and diglycerides of fatty acids).
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.