Dr. Oetker FunFoods Sauces & Ketchup#21 of 23 in categoryRating 2/5

Dr. Oetker FunFoods Pasta & Pizza Red Sauce

Red flags

Red flag: Contains TBHQ
Red flag: High added sugar (14.5g per 100g)
Red flag: High sodium (1650.2mg per 100g)

Green flags

Nothing stands out in its favour.

Ingredients, decoded

12 listed

Tomato Paste (28.3%)
Water
Sugar
Onions
Refined Soyabean Oil
Iodised Salt
Mixed Spices
Garlic
Herb
Acidity Regulators (INS260, INS330)
Emulsifiers [INS322(i), INS415]
Antioxidant (INS319)

ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

EB5

Nutrition per 100 g

ENutritionBIngredients5Risk

VerdictPOOR

Energy210.2 kcal

Protein2.1 g

Carbohydrates24.7 g

Total sugars19.4 g

Added sugars14.5 g

Total fat11.4 g

Saturated fat1.9 g

Trans fat0.1 g

Cholesterol0 mg

Sodium1650.2 mg

Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Tomato-led sauce with a lot of salt and sugar

Dr. Oetker FunFoods Pasta & Pizza Red Sauce is a ready sauce of tomato paste (28.3%), water, sugar, onions, refined soyabean oil, iodised salt, spices, garlic and herbs, with acidity regulators, emulsifiers and an antioxidant (TBHQ). The pack is 315 g and the panel is printed per 100 g.

CleanPlate scores it EB5. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g. The B for ingredients reflects a mix of whole and refined ingredients (led by tomato paste, sugar and onions), with additives that cost points: TBHQ and xanthan gum. The 5 for risk comes mainly from sodium (1650 mg per 100 g) and free sugar (14.5 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

On the pack
“NO ADDED PRESERVATIVES, COLOURS & FLAVOURS”
Partly true
No colour or flavouring is listed and no preservative class is named, but antioxidant TBHQ (INS 319), which protects the oil from going rancid, is.
On the pack
“No Preservatives added”
Partly true
Same point: TBHQ is a preservative-type antioxidant, listed next to the emulsifiers.

How EB5 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →

01 Nutritional valueA to E

Very low nutrient density

Protein: 2.1 g
Fibre: Not declared
Vitamins and minerals: None declared
Energy: 210 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E

Good, few concerning additives

Base: Tomato Paste
Main fat: Refined Soyabean Oil
Sweeteners: Sugar
Additives: 5
Flagged: TBHQ

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5

Very high risk

Added sugar: 14.5 g
Sodium: 1650.2 mg
Saturated fat: 1.9 g
Trans fat: 0.1 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Tomato paste (28.3%), water, sugar, onions, refined soyabean oil, iodised salt, mixed spices, garlic, herb, acidity regulators (260, 330), emulsifiers (322(i), 415) and antioxidant (319); only the tomato paste has a share.

Per 100 g: 210 kcal, 11.4 g fat of which 1.9 g saturated, 19.4 g sugar of which 14.5 g added, 2.1 g protein, 1650 mg sodium. The Blinkit listing had no ingredient list; the list comes from the pack image. A promo card's "No.1 Italian Sauce" cites Nielsen data from June 2022.

Ingredients to watch

SodiumConcern
1650 mg per 100 g, about 82% of the day's 2000 mg limit.
Free sugarConcern
14.5 g of added sugar per 100 g, with sugar third in the list.
TBHQWorth watching
A synthetic antioxidant (INS 319) that costs 3 additive points.
Tomato firstFine
Tomato paste is the first ingredient at 28.3%.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "A tomato sauce is a vegetable serving"

Tomato paste is 28.3%; sugar, salt and oil make up much of the rest.

Myth: "No preservatives means nothing to worry about"

TBHQ is listed as an antioxidant, and the salt and sugar are the larger loads.

How often, and how

Healthy adultsOccasionally
ChildrenRarely
Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Dilute it

Mix a spoonful into fresh tomato puree and boiled vegetables to cut the salt and sugar per bite.

Skip extra salt

Cook the pasta in unsalted water; the sauce already carries 1650 mg per 100 g.

Common questions

Is Dr. Oetker FunFoods Pasta & Pizza Red Sauce healthy?

Dr. Oetker FunFoods Pasta & Pizza Red Sauce scores EB5 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: Contains TBHQ; High added sugar (14.5g per 100g); High sodium (1650.2mg per 100g).

What does the EB5 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (B) grades ingredient and label integrity: good, few concerning additives. The number (5) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): very high risk.

Which ingredients in Dr. Oetker FunFoods Pasta & Pizza Red Sauce should I watch?

Antioxidant (INS319) (TBHQ).

Last reviewed October 11, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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