⌕ Zoom

Photo from the brand's official website

Haldiram's

Punjabi Masala Papad

Name: Punjabi Masala Papad
Brand: Haldiram's

Use in moderation Not on SafeShelf

NOVA 3no added sugarno artificial coloursno preservativesgluten-freeplant-basedlactose-freediabetic-safenut-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

17 g

Pack

200 g

Ingredients

Barcode

8904063251046

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 · 2 ingredients shown

Caution2 of 7 ingredients

Edible Vegetable Oil (Palmolein Oil)Caution

AsafoetidaCaution

Cleared 5▾

Black Gram Pulse FlourCleared

Mung Bean FlourCleared

Black PepperCleared

Sodium Bicarbonate (INS 500 (ii))Cleared

Iodised SaltCleared

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.

3/6

claims fully supported

“Spicy”true

Black pepper at 5.5% and asafoetida are both confirmed in the ingredient list; this level of black pepper delivers meaningful pungency.

“Roast Microwave Deep Fry”true

Directions for use explicitly describe all three cooking methods — open-flame roasting, microwave with oil, and deep-frying — confirming the claim.

“Light & Crisp”unverified

Texture after cooking cannot be verified from the nutritional or ingredient data available; no objective crispness or density measurement is present in any of the four data sources.

“Traditional Homestyle Poppadums”misleading

Papad is a centuries-old traditional Indian preparation and the core ingredients (urad/mung flours, asafoetida, black pepper, salt) are authentic; however, the product is industrially manufactured at scale by Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd., making the 'homestyle' framing a stretch.

“Authentic Indian Savoury Snack”true

Papad made from black gram flour with asafoetida and black pepper is a well-established Indian culinary tradition; the product is manufactured in India by an Indian brand.

“Crispy & Delicious”unverified

Crispness post-cooking and taste quality cannot be assessed from ingredient or nutrition data; no objective or third-party sensory evaluation is available in the provided sources.

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

Gluten-free legume-based product
No artificial colours or flavours
No artificial preservatives
No added sugars
Very low saturated fat per serving
FSSAI licensed manufacturer

Working against

Contains palmolein oil — high in saturated fat and linked to process contaminants GE and 3-MCPD
Asafoetida is strongly contraindicated in pregnancy and infants
Sodium bicarbonate contributes additional dietary sodium beyond declared iodised salt
Nutrition data appears potentially OCR-corrupted — 60 kcal/100g is implausibly low for a flour-based product
Deep-frying (a suggested cooking method) significantly increases fat and calorie content beyond label values

Who should approach with care

Pregnancy — Asafoetida has documented abortifacient properties and preliminary evidence of uterine-stimulant activity; pregnant women should avoid products containing it beyond incidental trace amounts.

Infants — Asafoetida has been directly associated with methemoglobinemia in infants, iodised salt is contraindicated in infant foods due to immature renal function, and palmolein oil process contaminants (GE) carry the highest relative exposure risk in this age group.

Lactation — Bioactive sulfur compounds from asafoetida may transfer into breast milk with unknown safety implications for the nursing infant; palmolein process contaminants also warrant discussion with a healthcare provider.

Hypertension — Both iodised salt and sodium bicarbonate contribute dietary sodium, and palmolein's saturated fat profile can compound cardiovascular risk; those on sodium-restricted diets should monitor portion size.

Kidney Disease — Lentil flours are high in potassium and phosphorus, iodised salt and sodium bicarbonate add sodium load, and impaired renal excretion means cumulative mineral burden should be discussed with a dietitian.

Heart Disease — Palmolein oil's high saturated fat content has been associated with raised LDL cholesterol, sodium bicarbonate and salt contribute additional sodium, and asafoetida has anticoagulant properties that may interact with antiplatelet medications.

Thyroid Disease — Iodised salt can precipitate iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis or worsen autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Hashimoto's or Graves' disease in susceptible individuals.

Epilepsy — Ferulic acid and related compounds in asafoetida may have CNS-stimulatory effects that could theoretically lower seizure threshold in susceptible individuals.

Ibs — Both lentil flours contain high-FODMAP fermentable oligosaccharides (raffinose, stachyose) and piperine from black pepper can stimulate gastrointestinal motility, potentially triggering or worsening IBS symptoms.

Ibd — The FODMAP content of black gram and mung bean flours may exacerbate gut inflammation during active flares, and piperine at higher doses can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Gout — Lentils contain moderate levels of purines; regular high intake of both black gram and mung bean flours may elevate uric acid in individuals prone to gout.

Children — EFSA and JECFA note that younger age groups face the highest relative exposure to process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD) from refined palmolein oil; portion moderation is advisable.

Other — Individuals with legume allergies, particularly those sensitised to other Fabaceae family members (chickpea, peanut, soy), may cross-react to black gram or mung bean proteins.

The full analysis

This is a simple, spiced lentil-flour papad with a short, recognisable ingredient list — two legume flours making up 84% of the product, a generous hit of black pepper, asafoetida, iodised salt, sodium bicarbonate as a leavening agent, and a small amount of palmolein oil. Everyday shoppers and fans of Indian snack cuisine pick it up as a low-calorie, gluten-free accompaniment. The main watchpoints are the palmolein oil (linked to process contaminants GE and 3-MCPD and a high saturated-fat profile) and asafoetida, which carries a firm 'avoid' signal for pregnant women and infants. Note: the structured nutrition panel shows 60 kcal per 100g, which appears inconsistent with a flour-based product and may reflect a per-serving (17g) figure mislabelled during OCR intake — the most useful takeaway for a curious consumer is that this is a minimally additive, legume-based snack but the palmolein oil and asafoetida make it unsuitable for pregnant women and infants.

FSSAI licence

10014051000910

Manufacturer

Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd.

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched