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Haldiram's

Southern Delights Chakoli

Name: Southern Delights Chakoli
Brand: Haldiram's

Use in moderation SafeShelf · review pending

NOVA 3no added sugarno artificial additivesno preservativesvegetarian certifiedgluten-free basegluten-freediabetic-safenut-freepregnancy-safelactose-freeenjoy in moderation

Serving

24 g

Pack

200 g

Ingredients

Barcode

8904063200637

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 10 ingredients

Vegetable Oil (Palmolein)Caution

Salt (Sodium Chloride)Caution

Sesame SeedCaution

Red Chilli PowderCaution

Cleared 6▾

Rice FlourCleared

Chickpeas Pulse FlourCleared

Black Pepper GritsCleared

White Pepper GritsCleared

Turmeric PowderE100Cleared

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.

1/4

claims fully supported

“New Pack”unverified

No packaging version history or reformulation data is available in any of the four sources to confirm or deny this is a newly redesigned pack.

“Great Taste”unverified

Taste is entirely subjective; no sensory evaluation data or certification (e.g., Great Taste Award) is present in any source.

“A Crispy Snack with Rice Flour”true

Rice flour is confirmed as the primary ingredient at 38% of the formulation; the product is a fried/baked snack with a crispy texture by design.

“South Indian Snacks”unverified

The product line is labelled 'Southern Delights — South Indian Snacks' and Chakoli is a traditional South Indian rice-flour snack; however, the manufacturer is based in Noida, UP, India, and no regional sourcing or authenticity certification is provided.

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 added sugar and zero declared sugars
No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives
Gluten-free ingredient base (rice flour + chickpea flour)
Vegetarian certified with valid FSSAI licence
Whole-spice seasoning — turmeric, cumin, pepper, chilli
Modest dietary fibre contribution (1g per 100g)

Working against

Contains palmolein oil — high in saturated fat (~40% palmitic acid)
Palmolein refining generates genotoxic process contaminants (GE, 3-MCPD) per EFSA
Moderately high sodium (195 mg/100g; ~468 mg per full pack serving)
Saturated fat is 4g per 100g — significant for heart disease patients
Spice blend (chilli, pepper) unsuitable for infants and young children
Rice flour base carries inorganic arsenic concern for infants and pregnant women

Who should approach with care

Infants — Multiple converging risks: inorganic arsenic in rice flour (FDA caution), genotoxic GE contaminants in palmolein (EFSA), capsaicin from chilli powder causing mucosal irritation, pungent pepper, and whole sesame seeds posing a choking hazard — this product is not appropriate for infants.

Children — Chilli and pepper can cause significant GI irritation in young children; rice flour arsenic accumulation and palmolein process contaminants raise additional concerns for frequent consumption, per FDA, EFSA, and WHO guidance.

Pregnancy — Rice flour carries inorganic arsenic developmental risk (WHO/FDA), palmolein contains genotoxic GE contaminants (EFSA), and excess sodium may elevate risk of gestational hypertension; occasional moderate consumption is lower risk but regular intake warrants care.

Hypertension — Salt directly and continuously raises blood pressure (EFSA NDA Panel; WHO) and the saturated fat from palmolein further worsens lipid-related cardiovascular risk in individuals with hypertension.

Heart Disease — Palmolein's ~40% palmitic acid elevates LDL cholesterol (WHO guidance), and the sodium load promotes fluid retention and increased cardiac workload, both contraindicated in cardiovascular disease.

Kidney Disease — High sodium worsens fluid retention and accelerates renal decline (WHO/FDA); chickpea flour contributes phosphorus and potassium; and capsaicin reaches high renal tissue concentrations in pharmacokinetic studies — cumulative concern across multiple ingredients.

Ibs — Chickpea flour is high-FODMAP (galactooligosaccharides and fructans); capsaicin activates TRPV1 gut receptors worsening cramps; sesame, black pepper, and white pepper can all exacerbate IBS symptoms.

Ibd — Chilli powder capsaicin, black and white pepper piperine, and insoluble fibre from chickpea flour and sesame may trigger mucosal inflammation flares in Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

Elderly — Declining renal sodium excretion capacity makes the elderly disproportionately vulnerable to blood pressure elevation and cardiovascular harm from the sodium content of this snack (FDA guidance on salt).

Liver Disease — Capsaicin is metabolised by hepatic CYP2E1 to reactive species capable of focal hepatic necrosis at high doses; high-dose turmeric (curcumin) has also been flagged for hepatotoxic potential by UK COT/FSA in individuals with pre-existing liver or bile duct disease.

Migraine — Capsaicin-containing spicy foods (chilli powder) are a recognised dietary migraine trigger in susceptible individuals.

Gout — Chickpea flour contains moderate purine levels (~57 mg/100g); frequent or large serving sizes may contribute to elevated serum uric acid in hyperuricaemia-prone individuals.

Nut Allergy — Cross-reactivity between sesame seed proteins and tree nut/peanut allergens has been documented; individuals with established nut allergy should consult an allergist before consuming this product.

The full analysis

Chakoli is a recognisable South Indian savoury snack bought for its light crunch and spiced flavour, and it stands out favourably for containing zero added sugar, no artificial colours, no artificial flavours, and no chemical preservatives — all ingredients are whole-food or minimally processed kitchen staples. The main flags are its moderately high saturated fat from palmolein (4g per 100g), a sodium level of 195 mg per 100g that adds up meaningfully across a 200g pack, and the use of palmolein oil which carries EFSA-noted process contaminants (glycidyl esters) of concern mainly for infants. The single most useful takeaway: this is one of the cleaner savoury snacks on the shelf — real ingredients, no additive nasties — but portion discipline matters because the fat and sodium accumulate quickly across servings.

FSSAI licence

10012051000107

Manufacturer

Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd.

Importer

STC/DUBRI

Region

Source

MANUAL

Analysis

Independently researched