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Kaleva

Aloo Bhujia

Name: Aloo Bhujia
Brand: Kaleva

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 4contains palm oilzero trans fatno artificial coloursultra-processedfried snacklactose-freegluten-freenut-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

30 g

Pack

—

Ingredients

Barcode

6 82564 00710 9

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01 — Ingredient mix

What’s in the box, ranked from most concerning.

Each ingredient gets a tier from our researched dossier. The list sorts worst-first; the donut summarises the distribution. Tap any ingredient for its full dossier.

Caution · 2 ingredients shown

Caution2 of 10 ingredients

Edible Vegetable Oil (Refined Palmolein Oil, Refined Cotton Seed Oil)Caution

Spices & Condiments (Red Chilly, Onion, Sugar, Garlic, Black Cumin, Coriander, Green Chilly, Dry Ginger, Yeast Extract, Black Pepper, Dry Mango, Mace)Caution

Cleared 8▾

Chickpea FlourCleared

Potato SolidsCleared

Husked Dew GramCleared

Tapioca StarchCleared

Corn FlourCleared

Rice FlourCleared

Iodized SaltCleared

Acidity Regulators (INS 330 & INS 296)Cleared

02 — Claims audit

Every label claim, fact-checked.

We treat each claim as a question — does what’s inside back it up? Tap a claim for the reasoning.

1/5

claims fully supported

“Traditional Indian Taste”misleading

The spice blend (red chilli, coriander, dry mango, black cumin, mace, ginger, garlic, onion) is authentically traditional; however, the use of industrial acidity regulators (INS 330, INS 296) and natural-identical flavouring substances departs from fully traditional preparation.

“Bikaner Wale Ka”unverified

The manufacturer address is 109 Bangla Sahib Road, Gole Market, New Delhi — not Bikaner, Rajasthan. No geographic indication, certification, or label data confirms a Bikaner origin or manufacturing link.

“Multi-layer pack to hold the freshness”true

The rawLabelData packagingInfo field explicitly confirms 'Multi-layer pack to hold the freshness', consistent with standard namkeen packaging practice.

“The perfect snacks Anytime Anywhere”unverified

Subjective lifestyle marketing slogan; no nutritional, safety, or compositional data can confirm or refute this assertion.

“Extruded Fried Snack Of Mashed Potatoes & Gram Flour Flavoured With Mint Powder”misleading

The ingredient list includes potato solids (12.5%) and chickpea flour (23.8%), confirming the potato and gram flour base. However, mint powder does not appear anywhere in the declared ingredient list or spice breakdown; the spices listed are red chilli, onion, sugar, garlic, black cumin, coriander, green chilli, dry ginger, yeast extract, black pepper, dry mango, and mace.

03 — The fuller picture

Read the whole thing if a one-line verdict isn’t enough.

What’s in favour, and what’s working against it

In favour

Zero trans fat declared on label
Contains whole-food legume ingredients (chickpea flour, moong dal)
Iodized salt contributes to dietary iodine intake
FSSAI licensed and APEDA-registered manufacturer
No artificial colours detected in ingredient list

Working against

Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): contains acidity regulators and flavouring substances
Refined palmolein oil carries process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD) flagged by EFSA
Refined cottonseed oil has a poor omega-6 to omega-3 ratio
Significant saturated fat content (4 g/100 g); concern for cardiovascular health
Nutrition data is internally inconsistent — likely OCR/data-entry error on per-100 g values
Marketed claim references 'Mint Powder' but no mint appears in the ingredient list

Who should approach with care

Infants — Refined palmolein and cottonseed oils expose infants to glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE) and 3-MCPD at levels EFSA identifies as up to ten times the low-concern threshold; additionally, added salt, capsaicin from chillies, and mace's myristicin are all inappropriate for infants under 12 months.

Children — EFSA flags elevated GE and 3-MCPD exposure risk in younger age groups due to lower body weight; mace at above-culinary doses poses myristicin toxicity risk in children, and capsaicin from red and green chillies may cause gastrointestinal irritation.

Pregnancy — Refined palmolein oil's genotoxic GE contaminants warrant precautionary reduction during pregnancy; additionally, nigella sativa (black cumin) has documented antiangiogenic and abortifacient effects at above-culinary doses, and mace contains potential antiprogesterone constituents.

Lactation — Mace contains myristicin and anticholinergic constituents that may reduce lactation and transfer bioactive compounds into breast milk when consumed beyond typical culinary amounts.

Heart Disease — Refined palmolein oil's substantial palmitic acid content may adversely alter lipoprotein profiles, and refined cottonseed oil's high omega-6 content may contribute to unfavorable fatty acid balance in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Hypertension — Iodized salt and yeast extract together contribute sodium that can elevate blood pressure in sodium-sensitive individuals; WHO recommends keeping total daily salt below 5 g for adults with hypertension.

Diabetes — Multiple high-glycaemic-index ingredients — potato solids, tapioca starch, corn flour, rice flour — combined with added sucrose can cause rapid postprandial blood glucose spikes in individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance.

Kidney Disease — Chickpea flour and moong dal contribute high protein, potassium, phosphorus, and purines; iodized salt adds sodium; and process contaminants (3-MCPD, 2-MCPD) in refined oils have shown nephrotoxic properties in animal studies reviewed by EFSA.

Liver Disease — Refined cottonseed oil's 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD process contaminants have shown potential hepatotoxic properties in animal studies; mace significantly alters hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity, which may be clinically relevant in patients with pre-existing liver disease.

Ibs — Chickpea flour and moong dal are high-FODMAP ingredients; onion and garlic are rich in fructans; capsaicin from red and green chillies stimulates GI TRPV1 receptors — collectively these ingredients can trigger bloating, cramping, and altered bowel habits in IBS patients.

Ibd — Capsaicin-containing chillies, high-FODMAP legume flours, and raw onion/garlic can all irritate inflamed intestinal mucosa and worsen flares in Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Gout — Yeast extract, chickpea flour, and moong dal all contribute purines that are metabolised to uric acid and can elevate serum urate levels, potentially triggering or worsening gout flares.

Migraine — Yeast extract's concentrated free glutamate and onion's biogenic amines are recognised dietary migraine triggers; capsaicin from chillies may also provoke neurogenic inflammation in susceptible individuals.

Thyroid Disease — Iodized salt contributes dietary iodine; both excess and insufficient iodine can worsen hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and patients with thyroid conditions should seek physician guidance on iodine intake from processed foods.

Epilepsy — Mace contains myristicin, which inhibits monoamine oxidase and has CNS-stimulant and psychoactive properties that could potentially lower seizure threshold at supra-culinary doses.

Sulfite Sensitivity — Commercially dried ginger and dry mango may contain sulphur dioxide preservatives (FSSAI permits up to 2000 ppm in dried ginger); sulfite-sensitive individuals risk allergic reactions.

The full analysis

Kaleva Aloo Bhujia is a widely purchased Indian namkeen snack, popular for its traditional flavour and convenience. The product is ultra-processed (NOVA 4) due to the presence of acidity regulators (INS 330, INS 296) and natural identical flavouring substances not typical of home kitchens. Nutritional data on the label appears internally inconsistent — the main panel records 150 kcal and 12.8 g carbohydrates per 100 g, values that align with a 30 g serving rather than a full 100 g, while the rawLabelData per-100 g panel more plausibly reports 602 kcal, 42.6 g carbohydrates, and 8.7 g protein for a fried snack of this type; consumers and clinicians should treat the per-serving figures (180 kcal, 12.8 g carbs, 2.6 g protein per 30 g) as likely accurate. The use of refined palmolein oil introduces process contaminants (glycidyl esters, 3-MCPD) of concern for infants and young children, and the product's saturated fat (4 g/100 g) is a consideration for heart disease patients. The most useful thing a curious consumer should know is that despite its traditional recipe base, additive use and refined oil quality mean this snack is best enjoyed occasionally rather than daily, especially by children.

FSSAI licence

13318009000

Manufacturer

Kaleva

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched