Green pesto
Processing
3
Processed foods
Group 3 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
4
0 we grade moderate or higher
2 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
15g
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 2 preservatives, 1 acidity regulator and 1 antioxidant.
E220
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
Preservative
What it is. A preservative that stops browning and microbial growth.
Why it is used. Used in dried fruit, wine, some soft drinks and processed potato.
What the evidence says. Not a cancer concern, but a well established trigger for asthma symptoms and sensitivity in some people, which is why it is a declarable allergen. Clear, strong evidence, but the concern applies to a specific group rather than everyone.
Permitted, but must be declared on the label when above a small threshold because of the allergy risk.
Assessed against EFSA, UK FSA. Full entry for E220
E300
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Antioxidant
What it is. Vitamin C, added to protect colour and flavour and sometimes to fortify.
Why it is used. Stops browning in juices and cut fruit, protects fats, and boosts vitamin content.
What the evidence says. Beneficial and harmless at the levels used. Included here as a reminder that an E number is just a code, and plenty of them are ordinary nutrients.
Permitted freely, no concern.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E300
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E1105 Lysozyme preservative
- E270 Lactic acid 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
Basil (50%), Water, Sunflower Oil, Grana Padano Cheese (2.5%) [Grana Padano Cheese (made from Unpasteurised Milk), Preservative (Egg Lysozyme)], Cashew Nuts (2.0%), Salt, Pecorino Romano Cheese (from Ewe's Milk) (1.0%), Rice Starch, Pine Nuts (0.8%), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Garlic Powder (Garlic Powder, Preservative (Sulphur Dioxide]).
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.