Why is Melanzane alla Parmigiana classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

It is placed in NOVA group 4 because the dish contains multiple industrial ingredients such as refined wheat flour, modified corn starch, emulsified oils, added preservatives, and two listed additives – citric acid (E330) used as an acidity regulator and a natural flavouring identified by the generic code E14xx. These components are typical of ultra‑processed foods.

How does the salt content in this product impact a low‑sodium diet?

The product contains 0.61 g of salt per 100 g, which is well below the average for similar frozen meals, but when a serving (450 g) is consumed it provides about 2.7 g of salt, contributing roughly 12 % of the recommended maximum daily intake; therefore it should be used sparingly by people following a low‑sodium diet.

Is the presence of wheat flour and mozzarella a concern for people with gluten or dairy intolerances?

Yes – the ingredient list includes wheat flour in the breadcrumb coating, which makes the dish unsuitable for gluten‑free diets, and it contains mozzarella and other cheese that provide lactose and milk proteins, so consumers with dairy intolerance or allergy should avoid it.

Italiamo • 450 g

Melanzane alla Parmigiana

Composite Foods

Product Insights

Melanzane alla Parmigiana is a frozen, ready‑to‑heat Italian eggplant parmigiana produced in Italy by Italiamo and sold at Lidl. It belongs to the Composite foods / One‑dish meals group, carries a Nutri‑Score of C and is classified in NOVA group 4, indicating an ultra‑processed product that contains additives such as citric acid (E330) and a natural flavouring (E14xx). Nutritionally it supplies protein and calcium from cheese, but its fat (12.6 g) and saturated fat (4.2 g) are well above average for vegetable‑based dishes, while its salt is moderate and sugars are low.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

moderate

Sugars

low

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal168 kcal

Fat12.6 g

Saturated Fat4.2 g

Cholesterol0 g

Carbohydrates8.2 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average values for frozen vegetable dishes, this parmigiana has lower sugars (2.3 g vs 3.57 g), markedly higher fat (12.6 g vs 5.94 g) and saturated fat (4.2 g vs 1.94 g), lower salt (0.61 g vs 3.55 g), slightly less energy (168 kcal vs 174.6 kcal), and less protein, fiber and carbohydrates than typical products.

Ingredients

32,8% pulpe de tomate, 24% aubergines préfrites (17,3%** aubergines, huile de tournesol), eau, 10% Mozzarella (lait, sel de cuisine, ferments lactiques, enzyme coagulante d'origine microbienne, correcteur d'acidité: acide citrique), 5,1% fromage (lait), panure (farine de blé, levure, sel de cuisine), huile de tournesol, crème (CH: demi-crème) (lait), 2,3% purée de tomate, amidon modifié (maïs), beurre (lait), huile d'olive, sel de cuisine, basilic, dextrose, persil, arômes naturels (contient lait). **rapporté au produit fini. Peut contenir des traces de crustacés, de mollusques, de poissons, d'œuf, de soja, de fruits à coque (noix), de céleri, de moutarde et de graines de sésame.

84%

35%

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