Ching's Secret Red Chilli Sauce — ENGINEERED

Munch or Dump rates Ching's Secret Red Chilli Sauce by Ching's ENGINEERED — score 30/90.

A 'fiery chilli' sauce where sugar outranks the chilli, propped up by modified starch, an emulsifier-stabilizer, and a preservative.

Why this verdict

• Sugar is the #2 ingredient, ahead of the chilli it's named for
• Real red chilli is just 6% of the jar
• Modified starch (INS 1422) fakes a thick, clingy body
• Stacked emulsifier-stabilizer (INS 415) plus sodium benzoate preservative
• Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) despite a 'fiery natural chilli' pitch

Ingredients (11)

• Water (safe) — Bulking agent that keeps this a low-fat spread; inert.
• Sugar (moderate) — Added refined sugar; spikes blood sugar and turns a milky base into a dessert.
• Red Chilli (6%) (safe) — The hero ingredient, but only 6% of the jar.
• GARLIC (safe) — A whole-food aromatic with its own beneficial compounds.
• ginger (safe) — Whole spice, digestive benefit.
• Iodised Salt (safe) — Sodium with added iodine; fine in small amounts but adds to the sodium load.
• Thickener (Modified Starch, INS 1422) (moderate) — Acetylated distarch adipate — an ultra-processed starch that fakes a thick clingy texture.
• Acidity Regulator (Acetic Acid, INS 261) (safe) — Vinegar-type acid for tang and shelf life; benign.
• Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid, INS 330) (safe) — Common acid for tartness and preservation; benign.
• Emulsifying and Stabilizing Agent (INS 415, Xanthan Gum) (moderate) — Industrial texturizer stacked on top of the modified starch to hold the sauce together.
• Preservative (Sodium Benzoate, INS 211) (moderate) — Synthetic preservative for shelf stability; can form benzene traces with certain acids and is a marker of ultra-processing.