Why is M&S Food Spaghetti Carbonara classified as a moderately processed product (NOVA 3) and what specific additive does it contain?

The meal is a ready‑to‑heat prepared dish that combines refined ingredients, cooking and preservation steps, which places it in NOVA group 3, and the only listed additive is antioxidant E301 (ascorbic acid) used as a preservative.

How do the sugar and salt levels in this carbonara affect people with diabetes or hypertension?

With 1.6 g of sugars per 100 g, the product is well below the average for pasta dishes and therefore has minimal impact on blood‑glucose spikes, while its very low salt content of 0.13 g per 100 g makes it generally acceptable for hypertensive diets when eaten in moderation.

Is M&S Food Spaghetti Carbonara suitable for gluten‑free, vegan, keto or other strict diets?

No – the recipe contains durum wheat semolina (gluten), milk, cream, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, and pork bacon, so it is not gluten‑free, vegan, or keto, and its carbohydrate level (16.1 g per 100 g) exceeds typical keto limits.

Marks & Spencers • 400 g

M&S Food Spaghetti Carbonara

Composite Foods

Product Insights

M&S Food Spaghetti Carbonara is a ready‑to‑heat prepared dish marketed by Marks & Spencer and falls under the Composite foods and One‑dish meals categories. It has a Nutri‑Score of B, belongs to NOVA group 3, and delivers 7 g of protein per 100 g while keeping sugars low at 1.6 g and salt very low at 0.13 g. Nevertheless, the product contains moderate total fat (5.1 g) and saturated fat (2.4 g), includes gluten and milk allergens, and lists the antioxidant additive E301.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

moderate

Sugars

low

Salt

low

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Added Sugars0 g

Fruits & Vegetables0 %

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average pasta dish, this carbonara contains less total fat (5.1 g vs 5.94 g), lower sugars (1.6 g vs 3.57 g) and far less salt (0.13 g vs 3.55 g), but its saturated fat (2.4 g) exceeds the typical level and its fiber (0.5 g) is below average.

Ingredients

Cooked Pasta (47%) (Durum Wheat Semolina Water) Semi Skimmed Milk Cooked Smoked M 0188 425 S Bacon (10%) (Pork-Water Curing Salt (Salt Preservative Sodium Nitrite) Antioxidant: E301) Single Cream (Milk) (5%) Parmesan Cheese (Milk) (3%) Mature Cheddar Cheese (Milk) Cornflour Rapeseed Oil Salt Garlic MIX Purée Coarse Black Pepper Ground Nutmeg

84%

35%

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