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La Mexicana Hot Salsa
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Sauces

La Mexicana Hot Salsa

30 g

Good out of 100 Medium confidence
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Why it scores 72

La Mexicana Hot Salsa scores 72 out of 100 (Good) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Processed (NOVA 3): Classified NOVA 3: processed with added salt, sugar or oil. Emerging
  2. Sodium metabisulfite: Sulfites must be declared above 10 mg/kg in the EU and UK and at 10 ppm or more in the US because some people, especially people with asthma, react to them. Regulatory
  3. Sodium benzoate: Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better salsa

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Hot Salsa

START100

Ingredients

  • Sodium metabisulfite
    Regulatory Sulfites must be declared above 10 mg/kg in the EU and UK and at 10 ppm or more in the US because some people, especially people with asthma, react to them. [1][2][3]
  • Sodium benzoate
    Strong Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. [4][5][6]
  • Potassium sorbate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight (as sorbic acid); generally recognized as safe in the US. [7][8]
subtotal−17.5

Processing

  • Processed (NOVA 3)
    Emerging Classified NOVA 3: processed with added salt, sugar or oil. [9]
subtotal−8

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 0.6 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [10]
subtotal−3
TOTAL 72Good

100 − 28.5 = 71.5 → 72

GTIN 00020113001497 · 2026-06-04

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy33 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Carbohydrates3.3 g
Sugars3.3 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0.6 g

Serving: 1 serving (30 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

FRESH DICED TOMATOES, FRESH CHOPPED ASSORTED PEPPERS, FRESH DICED ONIONS, FRESH CHOPPED CILANTRO, SALT, CRUSHED GARLIC, ASSORTED SPICES, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM METABISULFITE, ASCORBIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM BENZOATE (TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Sulphites

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest sauces in the US

More from La Mexicana

Sources

  1. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers

    European Union (Official Journal) · Oct 25, 2011 · Law

    “ANNEX II SUBSTANCES OR PRODUCTS CAUSING ALLERGIES OR INTOLERANCES 1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridised strains”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  2. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (as it applies in the UK), Annex II: substances or products causing allergies or intolerances

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Law

    “1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat (such as spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats or their hybridised strains, and products thereof”

    legislation.gov.uk

  3. 21 CFR 101.100 Food; exemptions from labeling (sulfiting agents)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Feb 17, 2022 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  4. Benzene production from decarboxylation of benzoic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid and a transition-metal catalyst

    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · May 1993 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

    The Lancet · November 2007 · Peer-reviewed

    “Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”

    doi.org

  6. Re-evaluation of benzyl alcohol (E 1519) as food additive (records the 2016 benzoate re-evaluation)

    European Food Safety Authority · Oct 30, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “derived a group ADI of 5 mg/kg bw per day (expressed as benzoic acid) in accordance with the ADI previously derived by SCF and JECFA”

    doi.org

  7. Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

    doi.org

  8. 21 CFR 182.3640 Potassium sorbate

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  9. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  10. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int