Why is teriyaki chicken katsu poke classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

The meal is deemed ultra‑processed because its formulation relies on many industrial ingredients such as refined starches, sugars, palm oil and a blend of flavorings, and it includes eight listed food additives: colour E160c (paprika extract), antioxidant E385 (calcium disodium EDTA), thickener E450, raising agent E450iii (sodium diphosphate), leavening agent E500, leavening agent E500ii (sodium bicarbonate), stabiliser E452, and its variant E452vi (sodium tripolyphosphate).

How do the sugar and salt levels in teriyaki chicken katsu poke affect people with diabetes or hypertension?

With 9.5 g of sugars per 100 g, the product can cause a rapid rise in blood glucose, making it less suitable for diabetes management unless portion‑controlled. Its salt content of 1.1 g per 100 g is moderate but still contributes to daily sodium intake, which may be a concern for individuals monitoring blood pressure.

Is the soy present in this product a concern for people with soy allergy or for sustainability?

Soy appears in several components, including edamame beans, soy flour in the breaded chicken coating and soy beans in the teriyaki sauces, so the product is not safe for anyone allergic to soy. Moreover, soy cultivation can involve deforestation, and the formulation also contains palm oil, which is linked to habitat loss for threatened species, raising sustainability concerns.

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teriyaki chicken katsu poke

Composite Foods

Product Insights

Teriyaki chicken katsu poke is a ready‑to‑eat one‑dish meal that combines breaded chicken, seasoned rice and mixed vegetables with a sweet teriyaki glaze. It carries a Nutri‑Score of C and falls into NOVA group 4, marking it as ultra‑processed; per 100 g it provides moderate energy (132 kcal), low saturated fat (0.9 g), but relatively high sugars (9.5 g) and modest protein (5.8 g). Although it includes vegetables and protein, the added sugars, palm oil, multiple food additives and soy and sesame allergens moderate its overall healthfulness.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

low

Sugars

moderate

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g/ml

Energy Kcal132 kcal

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average prepared‑salad, this teriyaki chicken katsu poke contains about 9.5 g of sugars per 100 g, far above the typical 3.6 g, while its fat (4 g), saturated fat (0.9 g) and salt (1.1 g) are all below the category averages of 5.9 g, 1.9 g and 3.6 g respectively.

Ingredients

Cooked rice (water, rice, sugar, spirit vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, rapeseed oil, fructose-glucose syrup, cane molasses), cooked breaded chicken breast (19%) (chicken breast, wheat flour, water, modified corn starch, palm oil, modified tapioca starch, salt, dextrose, stabiliser (sodium tripolyphosphate), raising agents (sodium diphosphate, sodium bicarbonate), yeast, soya flour), edamame beans (10%) (soya), teriyaki mayo coleslaw (10%) (carrot, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, sweetheart cabbage, mayonnaise (rapeseed oil, water, pasteurised free range egg, pasteurised free range egg yolk, spirit vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon juice from concentrate, antioxidant (calcium disodium EDTA), flavouring, colour (paprika extract)), teriyaki sauce (water, sugar, soya beans, wheat, salt, modified maize starch, onion purée, spirit vinegar, apple juice concentrate, garlic powder, lime juice concentrate, alcohol)), teriyaki miso sauce pot (water, sugar, soya beans, salt, wheat, modified maize starch, rice, spirit vinegar, onion purée, apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, chilli purée, alcohol, cornflour, lime juice concentrate, garlic powder, ginger purée, sesame seed oil, garlic purée, cayenne pepper), white sesame seeds allergy advice:

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