Chicken Gyoza
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
2
0 we grade moderate or higher
Counted from the label, not by quantity
Salt per 100g
2.28g
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 (2)
This label lists 1 flavour enhancer and 1 thickener or gelling agent.
E407
Carrageenan
Thickener and stabiliser
What it is. A gel forming fibre extracted from red seaweed.
Why it is used. Thickens dairy, plant milks, desserts and some processed meats.
What the evidence says. Food grade carrageenan is permitted. A degraded form called poligeenan is harmful, but that is not what goes into food. Some lab and animal work links carrageenan to gut inflammation, which keeps it under review, but human evidence is limited and mixed.
Permitted, including in organic food in many places, though a few specialist products avoid it as a precaution.
Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E407
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
Ingredients
Ingredients Fried Chicken Gyoza (Chicken Gyoza (Wheat Flour, Chicken Breast (19%), Water, Cabbage, Modified Tapioca Starch, Onion, Wheat Starch, Spring Onion, Textured Vegetable Soy Protein, Mixed Vegetable Oil (Fully Refined Soybean Dil, Spring Onion, Onion, Ginger, Shallot), Light Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt, Fructose Syrup), Sugar, Fully Refined Soybean Oil, Flavour Enhancer (E621), Sesame Oil, Mirin (Glutinous Rice, Water, Sucrose, Glucose Syrup), Rice Flour, Yeast Extract, Salt, Thickener (E407(a)), Garlic, D-Xylose), Rapeseed Oil), Gyoza Dressing (Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt, Alcohol), Water, Rice Vinegar, Sugar, Salt).
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.