Wicked Kitchen Fajita Spiced Burrito
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
11
0 we grade moderate or higher
7 of them not yet assessed here
Fat per 100g
7g
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 (11)
This label lists 4 acidity regulators, 3 thickeners and gelling agents, 2 colours and 2 raising agents.
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
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
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
Also on the label, not assessed here yet
- E160C Paprika extract, capsanthin colour
- E270 Lactic acid acidity regulator
- E296 Malic acid acidity regulator
- E325 Sodium lactate acidity regulator
- E412 Guar gum thickener
- E450 Diphosphates raising agent
- E500 Sodium carbonates raising agent
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
Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Cooked Long Grain Chilli Rice [Water, Long Grain Rice, Rapeseed Oil, Dried Glucose Syrup, Spices, Flavouring, Red Bell Pepper Powder, Onion Powder, Sugar, Coriander, Oregano, Black Pepper, Colour (Paprika Extract), Mustard Flour, Tomato Powder, Concentrated Lime Juice, Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Sunflower Oill, Water, Black Turtle Beans, Red Kidney Beans, Oyster Mushroom, Avocado, Coconut Oil Alternative to Cheese [Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Potato Starch, Oat Fibre, Cornflour, Thickeners (Carrageenan, Guar Gum), Salt, Modified Maize Starch, Yeast Extract, Acidity Regulators (Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate), Flavouring, Colour (Carotenes)], Onion, Palm Oil, Coriander, Tomato, Tomato Paste, Sugar, Rapeseed Oil, Roasted Red Pepper, Olive Oil, Cornflour, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Lemon Juice, Ancho Chilli, Onion Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Purée, Preservatives (L-Cysteine, Calcium Chloride), Red Chilli Purée, Raising Agents (Sodium Bicarbonate, Disodium Diphosphate), Spices, Red Wine Vinegar, Cane Molasses, Stabiliser (Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose), Red Pepper, Lemon Zest, Garlic Powder, Acidity Regulator (Malic Acid), Parsley, Black Pepper, Mustard Seed, Sunflower Oil, Colour (Paprika Extract), Chilli Extract, Oregano, Capsicum 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.