Ching's Secret Hot and Sour Soup — BULLSHIT
Munch or Dump rates Ching's Secret Hot and Sour Soup by Ching's Secret BULLSHIT — score 0/90.
Sold as "100% natural" with "no artificial" anything, but it's a corn-starch base loaded with MSG-style flavor enhancers, caramel coloring and glucose syrup. The label flatly contradicts what's in the packet.
Why this verdict
- Markets itself as "100% natural" and "no artificial" while running on lab additives
- Flavor-enhancer stack (E627 + E631) engineers a savory MSG-style hit
- Added caramel color (E150d) and dried glucose syrup despite "no added" claims
- Corn starch, salt and sugar dominate before any real vegetable
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) instant mix, not the wholesome soup it sells
Ingredients (17)
- Corn Starch (moderate) — Refined starch for texture; part of the hyper-palatable structure.
- Dehydrated Vegetables (carrot, cabbage, garlic) 18% (safe) — Real vegetables, but dehydrated and a minor share of the mix.
- Salt (moderate) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.
- Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.
- Dehydrated Mushrooms 8% (safe) — Real mushroom, adds umami and a little substance.
- Dried Glucose Syrup (concerning) — Added sugar with no business in a savoury salmon dish.
- Disodium 5'-Guanylate (E627) (moderate) — Flavor enhancer used with inosinate to amplify the MSG-style savory hit.
- Disodium 5'-Inosinate (E631) (moderate) — Paired nucleotide enhancer — part of the engineered craving stack.
- Soy Sauce Powder (soybean, wheat, salt) (moderate) — Adds salt and umami; contains soy and wheat allergens.
- ONION POWDER (safe) — Dried aromatic for flavor.
- Caramel color (E150d) (concerning) — Sulphite-ammonia caramel added purely for cola-brown color; can contain 4-MEI, a compound flagged in animal studies.
- Chilli Powder 1% (safe) — Provides heat; a real spice.
- Acetic Acid (E260) (safe) — Acidity regulator/vinegar acid, standard and harmless.
- Xanthan Gum (E415) (moderate) — Thickener/stabilizer to keep the sauce from separating; generally well tolerated.
- Silicon Dioxide (E551) (moderate) — Anticaking agent; an industrial additive that flags ultra-processing.
- Sunflower Oil (moderate) — Refined seed oil; fine in the modest amounts used here.
- Pepper Powder (safe) — Real spice for the hot/sour profile.