Del Monte Tomato Ketchup — DUMP

Name: Del Monte Tomato Ketchup
Brand: Del Monte

Munch or Dump rates Del Monte Tomato Ketchup by Del Monte DUMP — score 17/90.

Sugar-and-salt sauce built on diluted tomato paste, thickened with modified starch and gums and kept shelf-stable with sodium benzoate. NOVA 4 ultra-processed condiment.

Why this verdict

Tomato paste is only 29%; water + sugar make up most of the jar
Added sugar is the second ingredient, ~25g per 100g
Modified starch (INS 1422) and xanthan gum fake the 'rich, thick' texture
Sodium benzoate (INS 211) preservative; classified NOVA 4 ultra-processed
Iodized salt adds a meaningful sodium load per serving

Ingredients (11)

Water (safe) — Used as a basic ingredient in bread.
Tomato Paste (29%) (safe) — The one genuinely nutritious component, but under a third of the product.
Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.
Iodized Salt (safe) — Common salt; iodine is a plus in small amounts.
Acidity Regulator (INS 260, Acetic Acid) (moderate) — Processing aid for pH and shelf life.
Thickener (INS 1422, Acetylated Distarch Adipate) (moderate) — Modified starch used to fake body the diluted paste lacks; a NOVA 4 marker.
Thickener (INS 415, Xanthan Gum) (safe) — A fermented gum that keeps the paste from separating. Generally well tolerated; purely a texture additive.
ONION POWDER (safe) — Dried aromatic for flavor.
GARLIC POWDER (safe) — Real seasoning.
Mixed Spices (safe) — Genuine spice blend (onion, coriander, turmeric, chilli, garlic, cumin) — the one real positive here.
Preservative (INS 211, Sodium Benzoate) (moderate) — Shelf-life preservative that can form trace benzene when combined with the added acids.