Why is Stir‑in pasta sauce carbonara classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

The sauce combines multiple industrial ingredients such as refined cream, processed ham, cheese, modified maize starch and a brine mix, which are typical of ultra‑processed foods; it also includes three declared additives: E250 (sodium nitrite) as a preservative, E301 (sodium ascorbate) as an antioxidant, and E451 (triphosphate) as a stabiliser.

How does the saturated‑fat and salt content in this sauce affect people with diabetes or hypertension?

The sauce’s saturated‑fat level (6.8 g per 100 g) is high and can raise LDL cholesterol, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, while its salt amount (1.3 g per 100 g) is moderate; for hypertensive individuals the salt is below the category average but the saturated fat may still be undesirable, whereas the low sugar (1.3 g) makes it relatively neutral for blood‑glucose management in diabetes.

Is Stir‑in pasta sauce carbonara suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet?

No. The product contains dairy ingredients (cream, cheese) and pork‑derived ham, both of which are excluded from vegan diets and the ham also disqualifies it for strict vegetarian consumption.

dolmio

Stir-in pasta sauce carbonara

Fat And Sauces

Product Insights

Stir‑in pasta sauce carbonara is a ready‑to‑heat pasta sauce marketed under the Dolmio brand and belongs to the Fat and sauces group of the PNNS classification. It delivers 138 kcal per 100 g with 11 g of fat (including 6.8 g saturated fat), 1.3 g of sugars and 1.3 g of salt, resulting in a Nutri‑Score of D and a NOVA‑4 rating, indicating an ultra‑processed product. The formulation contains dairy (cream, cheese), pork‑derived ham and three food additives (E250 sodium nitrite, E301 sodium ascorbate, and E451 triphosphate), which are flagged as non‑vegan and may be of concern for allergen‑sensitive consumers.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

high

Sugars

low

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g/ml

Added Sugars0.6 g

Fruits & Vegetables0.1 %

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average pasta‑sauce category, this sauce has slightly lower total fat (11 g vs 12.0 g) and markedly lower sugars (1.3 g vs 10.9 g), but its saturated‑fat content is more than three times higher (6.8 g vs 2.1 g) while its salt level is below the average (1.3 g vs 5.0 g).

Ingredients

water, cream (from milk) (22%), ham (7.2%) (pork, water, salt, brine mix (dextrose, stabiliser (triphosphate), antioxidant (sodium ascorbate)), smoke flavouring, preservative (sodium nitrite)), onion, cheese (3.9%) (cheddar (from milk)), modified maize starch, salt, garic milk proteins, sugar, spices. rinse pot recycle lid don't recycle 150g e o sleeve recycle

84%

35%

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