chicken katsu curry with rice
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
16
0 we grade moderate or higher
11 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
5.98g
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 (16)
This label lists 3 acidity regulators, 3 colours, 3 emulsifiers, 3 flavour enhancers, 2 antioxidants, 1 raising agent and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
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
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
E322
Lecithin
Emulsifier
What it is. A natural emulsifier, usually from soya or sunflower.
Why it is used. Keeps chocolate smooth and stops ingredients separating.
What the evidence says. Safe and widely used. Only relevant if the source, such as soya, is an allergen for you.
Permitted freely. Source allergen must be declared.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E322
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
- E1400 Dextrin thickener
- E150 Caramel colour
- E160 Carotenes colour
- E170 Calcium carbonate colour
- E270 Lactic acid acidity regulator
- E296 Malic acid acidity regulator
- E306 Tocopherol-rich extract antioxidant
- E473 Sucrose esters of fatty acids emulsifier
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
- E627 Disodium guanylate flavour enhancer
- E631 Disodium inosinate 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
Ingredients Curry Sauce (43%) (Water, Curry Paste (Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil, Canola Oil), Wheat Flour, Sugar, Salt, Curry Powder (Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Fenugreek, Cinnamon, Fennel, Red Pepper, Dill, Dried Tangerine Peel, Spices), Corn Starch, Onion Powder (Onion Flakes, Soybean Powder, Glucose, Maltose), Dextrin, Garlic Powder (Dried Garlic, Defatted Soybean, Glucose, Maltose), Flavour Enhancers (E621, E631, E627), Colour (E150(a)), Yeast Extract, Emulsifiers (E473, E322 (Soya), E471), Soybean Paste (Soybean, Salt, Rice), Defatted Soybean, Acidity Regulators (E296, E330), Red Pepper, Fermented Wheat Seasoning (Wheat, Yeast Extract, Dextrin), Flavourings), White Onion, Carrot, Potato, Rapeseed Oil), Cooked White Long Grain Rice (Water, White Long Grain Rice, Rapeseed Oil), Breaded Chicken Breast (19%) (Chicken Breast, Batter Mix (Water, Flour Mix (Wheat Flour (Wheat, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, fliacin, Thiamin), Salt)), Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, fliacin, Thiamin), Yeast, Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Salt, Acid (E270), Antioxidant (E300)), Marinade Mix (Water, Maize Starch, Salt, Acidity Regulator (E500), Spirit Vinegar Powder, Tapioca Starch, Dried Glucose Syrup), Rice Cone (Rice), Panko Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil, Antioxidant (E306)), Salt, Yeast, Colour (E160(c))), Rapeseed Oil).
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.