Pork Siu Mai
HK Dim Sum
Processing
4
Ultra-processed
Group 4 of 4 on the NOVA scale
Additives listed
3
1 we grade moderate or higher
Counted from the label, not by quantity
Fat per 100g
18.70g
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 (3)
This label lists 1 colour, 1 flavour enhancer and 1 preservative.
E102
Tartrazine
Yellow colour
What it is. A synthetic lemon yellow dye.
Why it is used. Colours soft drinks, sweets, sauces and snacks.
What the evidence says. One of the Southampton Six colours linked in a 2007 UK study to increased hyperactivity in some children. The effect is modest and does not affect every child, but it was enough for a mandatory on pack warning.
UK and EU require the label to warn it may affect activity and attention in children. Permitted in the US without that warning.
Assessed against UK FSA, EFSA. Full entry for E102
E202
Potassium sorbate
Preservative
What it is. The potassium salt of sorbic acid, which stops mould and yeast growth.
Why it is used. Used in cheese, baked goods, dried fruit, wine and dressings.
What the evidence says. Widely used and long regarded as one of the gentler preservatives. EFSA's 2015 re-evaluation lowered the acceptable daily intake and noted gaps in the genotoxicity data, asking for more work, while finding no evidence of harm at the levels actually used.
Permitted with maximum levels. EFSA has asked for further data rather than restricted it.
Assessed against EFSA. Full entry for E202
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
Pork (70%), Pork fat, Water, Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Vital Wheat Gluten, Shiitake Mushroom, Sugar, Flavour Enhancer: E621, Potato Starch, Wheat Starch, Salt, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce (Water, Salt, Soyabean (Soya), Wheat Flour, Preservative: E202), Rapeseed Oil, White Pepper, Colour: E102. .
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.