Why is Chicken Pad Thai classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additive does it contain?

The meal combines refined rice noodles, multiple sauces, added sugars, and a range of industrial ingredients that are manufactured, mixed and heated in a factory, which meets the NOVA 4 definition of ultra‑processed foods. The only listed additive is E14xx, a sulphite preservative used to maintain colour and freshness.

How does the sugar and salt content in this product affect a diabetic or hypertensive diet?

With 5 g of sugar per 100 g, the product can cause a noticeable rise in blood glucose, making it unsuitable for strict diabetic control. Its 2.1 g of salt per 100 g is moderate but still contributes to daily sodium intake, so it should be limited for people managing hypertension.

Is this product suitable for gluten‑free, vegan, or halal diets given its ingredient list?

No. The presence of wheat‑derived gluten makes it unsuitable for gluten‑free diets, the inclusion of chicken, fish sauce and animal‑derived dextrose excludes it from vegan diets, and the fish sauce and alcohol‑based vinegar may not meet halal requirements for some consumers.

Thiriet • 320 g

Pad thai au poulet

Composite Foods

Product Insights

Chicken Pad Thai is a 320 g frozen ready‑made meal from the French retailer Thiriet, classified under the Composite foods and One‑dish meals groups. It offers 20 g of protein and 5 g of fibre per 100 g, but is very energy‑dense with 534 kcal, 26 g of fat (including 6 g of saturated fat), and 2.1 g of salt, resulting in a Nutri‑Score of E and an ultra‑processed NOVA 4 rating. The recipe contains allergens such as fish, peanuts, soy and gluten and includes the preservative additive E14xx.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

high

Saturated Fat

high

Sugars

moderate

Salt

high

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal534 kcal

Fat26 g

Saturated Fat6 g

Carbohydrates48 g

Sugars5 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with average frozen meals, this chicken Pad Thai contains markedly higher fat (26 g vs 5.9 g), saturated fat (6 g vs 1.9 g), sugar (5 g vs 3.6 g) and calories (534 kcal vs 175 kcal), while its salt level (2.1 g) is slightly below the typical 3.5 g.

Ingredients

Nouille de riz cuite 31,2% (eau, nouille de riz 12% (riz, tapioca, eau, sel), huile de tournesol, sauce nuoc-mâm 0,4% (anchois (poisson), sel, eau)), eau, émincé de filet de poulet cuit rôti traité en salaison 15% (filet de poulet (origine France), eau, fécule, dextrose, sel), graine de soja (soja) 3,5%, cacahuète grillée (arachide) 3,4%, poivron rouge 3,3%, oignon préfrit (oignon, huile de tournesol), germe de haricot mungo 2,7%, carotte 2,7%, huile de tournesol, carotte jaune 2,4%, champignon noir 2,4%, pâte d'arachide 2,2% (cacahuète (arachide), sel), oignon, épices et plantes aromatiques, ail, jus de citron vert 1,2 %, sauce nuoc-mâm 0,7% (poisson (anchois), sel, eau), sauce soja 0,4% (eau, graines de soja (soja), blé (gluten (blé)), sel), sucre de canne, amidon transformé, préparation à base de piments 0,3% (piment, purée de tomate, eau, sel, poivrons, vinaigre d'alcool), purée de tomate double concentrée.

84%

35%

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