Why is Chow Mein stir fry sauce classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and which additives does it contain?

The sauce is made from many refined components such as dark soy sauce, malt extract, colourants and flavor enhancers, which are typical of industrial formulation, placing it in the NOVA 4 ultra‑processed category. It lists the additives E150a (plain caramel colour), E260 (acetic acid) and E330 (citric acid).

How does the high sugar content in this sauce affect people with diabetes or hypertension?

With 18 g of sugars per 100 g, the sauce can cause rapid blood‑glucose spikes, making it unsuitable for strict diabetic control, and the added sugars contribute to overall calorie intake, which may indirectly influence blood pressure; however, the product contains little fat and sodium, so the direct salt impact is minimal.

Is the soy ingredient in this sauce a concern for people with soy allergy?

Yes. The formulation includes defatted soy bean rakes as part of the dark soy sauce, and soy is declared as an allergen, so anyone with a soy allergy should avoid this product.

Asia Green Garden • 120 g

Chow Mein Stir Fry Sauce

Fat And Sauces

Product Insights

Chow Mein stir fry sauce is a ready‑to‑use Asian‑style condiment that falls into the "Dressings and sauces" group of the PNNS classification. A 60 g serving supplies 56 kcal, 0.5 g fat (low), 12.9 g carbohydrates and 10.8 g sugars, giving it a high sugar level while keeping fat and protein modest, and it is labelled as NOVA 4 ultra‑processed. It offers vegetarian‑friendly ingredients such as spring onion, ginger and sesame oil, but also contains added sugars, several additives (E150a, E260, E330), gluten, soy and may have traces of peanuts and nuts, which may be concerns for some consumers.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

low

Sugars

high

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal73 kcal

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average condiment, this sauce contains roughly 65 % more sugar (18 g vs 10.95 g per 100 g) while its fat content is dramatically lower (0.5 g vs 12.0 g per 100 g).

Ingredients

water sugar, dark soy sauce (6%) (water, salt, sugar, barkley malt extract, defatted soya bean rakes, colour: plain caramel, yeast extract, spirit vinegar, wheat ), spring onion (4,5%), ginger purée (4,5%), modified mace starch, garlic purée (3,5%), onion purée (3,5%), red chilli paste (1%) (red chil pepper, salt, acidity regulator: acetic acid), colour: plain caramel, sesame oil, yeast extract, acidity regulator: citric acid, allengy advice: for allergens, see ingredients in bold, may also contain peanuts and nuts, dietary advice:suitable for vegetarians, no artificial flavourings or preservations,

84%

35%

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