Why is Prime Cuts Wafer Thin Crumbed Ham classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

The ham is labeled NOVA 4 because it undergoes multiple industrial processes such as curing, cooking, and coating, and it includes several additives: sodium nitrite (preservative), potassium and sodium triphosphates, tetrapotassium diphosphate (stabilisers), sodium ascorbate (antioxidant), dextrose, rapeseed oil, and food colourants curcumin (E100) and paprika extract (E160c).

How does the salt content of this ham affect a hypertensive or sodium‑restricted diet?

With 1.5 g of salt per 100 g, the ham contributes a moderate amount of sodium; consuming a typical 50 g portion adds about 0.75 g of salt, which can be significant for people managing hypertension or following a low‑sodium diet and should be balanced with lower‑salt foods elsewhere in the meal.

Based on the ingredients, is this product suitable for strict diets like vegan, keto, halal, or gluten‑free?

The ham is not vegan or halal because it contains pork meat and pork gelatin, but it is gluten‑free thanks to the rice‑ and corn‑flour breadcrumb coating; its low carbohydrate content (2.1 g carbs per 100 g) makes it compatible with keto dietary guidelines.

Tesco • 125g

Prime Cuts Wafer Thin Crumbed Ham

Fish Meat Eggs

Product Insights

Prime Cuts Wafer Thin Crumbed Ham is a sliced, cured and cooked ham made from selected cuts of pork leg meat and coated with gluten‑free breadcrumbs, placing it in the processed‑meat family. It provides a high protein content of 21.2 g per 100 g and low sugar and fat levels, but it contains 1.5 g of salt and several food additives, resulting in a NOVA‑4 (ultra‑processed) classification. The product therefore offers lean protein while the elevated salt and the presence of additives such as sodium nitrite and triphosphates contribute to a Nutri‑Score of C.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

low

Saturated Fat

low

Sugars

low

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal112 kcal

Fat2 g

Saturated Fat0.7 g

Carbohydrates2.1 g

Sugars1 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average processed‑meat product, this ham contains far less fat (2 g vs 18.6 g), saturated fat (0.7 g vs 6.8 g), sugar (1 g vs 1.6 g) and salt (1.5 g vs 3.5 g) per 100 g, while delivering a higher protein level (21.2 g vs 18.4 g).

Ingredients

Pork 98%, Mineral Sea Salt, Gluten Free Breadcrumbs (Rice Flour, Cornflour, Salt, Dextrose, Rapeseed Oil, Colours (Curcumin, Paprika Extract)), Brown Sugar, Stabilisers (Potassium Triphosphate, Sodium Triphosphate, Tetrapotassium Diphosphate), Pork Gelatine, Antioxidant (Sodium Ascorbate), Preservative (Sodium Nitrite), Salt.

84%

35%

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