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MTR

Minute Meals Dal Fry

Name: Minute Meals Dal Fry
Brand: MTR

Use in moderation Not on SafeShelf

NOVA 3no added preservativesno artificial coloursno hydrogenated fatshigh sodiumready to eatlactose-freegluten-freediabetic-safenut-freepregnancy-safeenjoy in moderation

Serving

100 g

Pack

300 g

Ingredients

Barcode

8901042955988

Buy on Amazon

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 · 4 ingredients shown

Caution4 of 14 ingredients

GheeCaution

Refined sunflower oilCaution

SaltCaution

Red chilliCaution

Cleared 10▾

WaterCleared

Red gram dalCleared

OnionCleared

TomatoCleared

Green gram dalCleared

GarlicCleared

Green chilliCleared

Coriander leavesCleared

TurmericE100Cleared

CuminCleared

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.

5/6

claims fully supported

“Ready to Eat”true

Product is thermally processed (retort) and requires only reheating; confirmed by packaging classification '4.2.2.8 Thermally processed curried vegetables' and directions for use.

“No Added Preservatives”true

Ingredient list contains no recognised chemical preservatives (no sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sodium nitrite, etc.); thermal processing provides shelf stability.

“Just Heat & Eat!”true

Confirmed by heating directions (microwave, stove, boiling water); product is fully cooked and ready after brief reheating.

“Advanced Heat Technology locks flavour without added preservatives.”misleading

No added preservatives are confirmed by the ingredient list. 'Advanced Heat Technology' is a marketing descriptor for standard retort thermal processing; no proprietary technical data is provided to substantiate a flavour-preservation superiority claim over conventional retort.

“No Hydrogenated Fats”true

No hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils appear in the ingredient list; fats declared are ghee and refined sunflower oil, neither of which is hydrogenated.

“No Artificial Colour”true

No artificial colour additives are listed; turmeric (a natural spice/colorant, INS 100) provides the yellow hue.

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

No artificial preservatives in ingredient list
No artificial colours — turmeric provides natural hue
No hydrogenated fats or trans-fat sources beyond trace dairy ghee
Recognisable whole-food ingredient list; no E-number additives
Provides plant protein from two legume varieties (toor and moong dal)
FSSAI licensed; manufactured in India under established brand

Working against

High sodium: 393 mg/100 g — 1,179 mg per full 300 g pack
Contains trans fat (0.1 g/100 g), likely from ghee cholesterol oxidation products
Ghee contributes saturated fat (1.7 g/100 g); caution for heart and diabetes groups
Refined sunflower oil may carry trace EFSA-flagged process contaminants (GE/MCPD)
May contain traces of peanuts and cashews — nut-allergy consumers must check label
Spice load (green and red chilli) may be unsuitable for sensitive GI groups

Who should approach with care

Hypertension — Sodium at 393 mg/100 g (≈1,179 mg per pack) directly raises blood pressure; salt's avoidFor entry cites WHO and EFSA NDA Panel confirmation of a continuous dose-response relationship between sodium and hypertension.

Kidney Disease — High sodium from salt combined with potassium and phosphorus from two legumes (toor and moong dal) and tomato can accelerate renal function decline and cause electrolyte imbalances in patients with impaired kidney function.

Heart Disease — High sodium promotes fluid retention and raises cardiac workload; ghee's saturated fat and cholesterol oxidation products add atherogenic risk for individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes — Ghee's high saturated fat content may exacerbate insulin resistance and affect glycaemic control, as noted in the ghee ingredient dossier (PMID:22131700).

Pregnancy — Elevated sodium may worsen gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia risk; green and red chilli can aggravate gestational heartburn and GERD, common in pregnancy.

Infants — Green chilli is unsuitable for infants due to capsaicin-induced mucosal irritation; whole legumes are inappropriate before 6 months; ghee and water also carry infant-specific cautions from their respective dossiers.

Children — WHO recommends lower sodium ceilings for children; capsaicin from green and red chilli can cause GI discomfort; EFSA also flagged refined vegetable oil process contaminants (GE/MCPD) as a concern for younger age groups.

Ibs — Multiple high-FODMAP ingredients — onion, garlic, toor dal, moong dal, tomato — can trigger bloating, cramping, and diarrhoea; capsaicin from chillies further activates gut TRPV1 receptors worsening IBS symptoms.

Ibd — Capsaicin from green and red chilli can irritate inflamed intestinal mucosa; high fibre and oligosaccharides from legumes may aggravate symptoms during active flares of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Gout — Both toor dal and moong dal contain moderate purines that may elevate serum uric acid; high saturated fat from ghee can contribute to metabolic syndrome, an independent gout risk factor.

Liver Disease — Ghee places additional metabolic burden on a compromised liver; capsaicin in red chilli is metabolised by hepatic CYP2E1 into reactive intermediates that may stress impaired hepatic function.

Lactose Intolerance — Ghee is derived from butter; while most lactose is removed during clarification, trace milk proteins may remain and trigger reactions in individuals with severe dairy sensitivity.

Migraine — Red chilli (capsaicin) is a recognised dietary migraine trigger via TRPV1-mediated neurogenic inflammation; onion also contains histamine and biogenic amines that can provoke migraines in susceptible individuals.

Elderly — Declining renal sodium excretion capacity makes the elderly disproportionately susceptible to the blood pressure-raising effects of this product's high sodium content, as noted by FDA guidance cited in the salt dossier.

The full analysis

MTR Dal Fry is a convenient staple bought by working professionals and households seeking a quick, home-style Indian meal. Its ingredient list is notably clean — no artificial preservatives, no artificial colours, no emulsifiers, no flavour enhancers, and no hydrogenated fats — placing it firmly in the NOVA 3 'processed' tier rather than ultra-processed. The single most important thing a consumer should know is that sodium content is high at 393 mg per 100 g (nearly 1,180 mg for the full 300 g pack, or about 59% of the WHO daily adult limit in one pack), making this a product to watch for anyone managing blood pressure or fluid retention.

FSSAI licence

10012043000145

Manufacturer

MTR Foods Pvt. Ltd.

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched