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Brand owned by Tata Consumer Products (India) · about the brand
Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour
Decode Label Safety Score
How we got 3.9 ShowHide
Reviewed 4 times · Methodology v3.1 (updated 8 Oct 2026) — what changed
The score is capped for a specific safety reason, set out below. This instant soup mix contains several common food additives, including ammonia caramel colour (E150d), which is classified by IARC as a Group 2B possible human carcinogen due to its 4-MEI by-product. It also contains a flavour enhancer (E635) that may trigger gout in susceptible individuals. While it offers some dehydrated vegetables, the overall formulation is highly processed and contains added sugar and sodium, making it less suitable for regular consumption, especially for young children.
At a glance
From the declared label — not a lab testFindings to weigh
What’s favorable
- Carrot
- Cabbage
- Garlic
- Chilli Powder
- Pepper Powder
- +1 more →
Contains IARC 2B carcinogen (E150d) and flavour enhancer (E635)
The score is capped for a specific safety reason, set out below. This soup mix contains ammonia caramel colour (E150d), which has a by-product classified by IARC as a possible human carcinogen. It also includes a flavour enhancer (E635) that can be problematic for individuals prone to gout. The product is highly processed with added sugar and sodium, which are concerns for overall dietary health.
Consider this product carefully if you are
- Avoiding certain additives or colours — Flavour Enhancer (E635) and Natural Colour (E150d) are declared.
Declared allergens: Soy and Gluten
Relevant if you have any of these allergies or intolerances.
Based on the declared ingredient list. This is a risk only to people with the allergy, not a general-population safety issue, so it does not lower the safety score.
Concern breakdown
Score out of 10 · higher = fewer concernsHow this product performs on each concern we check for food. This is a breakdown of the same evidence behind the score above — not a separate verdict.
Saturated fat 0 g · trans fat 0 g per serving
1 concern could not be assessed from this label. That means we don't know — not that there's nothing to find.
Toddlers & young children (1–5)
AvoidHigh levels of added sugar and sodium are not recommended for young children's developing palates and health. The presence of E150d (IARC 2B carcinogen) is also a concern for this vulnerable group.
Specific sensitivities
Avoid if affectedContains Flavour Enhancer (E635) (Disodium Ribonucleotides) which are purine-containing and can trigger gout attacks.
Why the score is capped
Contains ammonia caramel colour (E150c/d) — which can generate 4-MEI during manufacture — IARC classifies 4-MEI as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans); this label does not state its concentration
Rule F-CAP-10 · Source: IARC / EFSA classification of the additive
Highly processed (NOVA) and high total sugar
Rule F-CAP-07
What's good
Contains dehydrated vegetables (carrot, cabbage) for some nutritional value
Uses natural flavouring agents like garlic, chilli powder, and pepper powder
Watch out for
Contains ammonia caramel colour (E150d), an IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen
Contains flavour enhancer E635 (Disodium Ribonucleotides) which can trigger gout
High in added sugars (Dried Glucose Syrup, Sugar)
High in sodium (Salt, Soy Sauce Powder)
Highly processed food (NOVA-4 classification)
Contains common allergens (soy, wheat/gluten)
Ingredient Concerns safety database
Sources cited below may be Indian (FSSAI) or international (EU, US, WHO, IARC) — an international classification or law is evidence, not an Indian regulatory finding.
Disodium Ribonucleotides (E635)
E635 is a mixture of disodium inosinate (E631) and disodium guanylate (E627). Both are purine nucleotides, which the body breaks down to uric acid. People with gout or hyperuricaemia, or who have been advised to limit purines, may wish to limit foods containing it. The amounts used in foods are small, so the concern applies to people already managing uric acid rather than to the general population.
Regulatory & scientific authority Source: EFSA; WHO; Arthritis Foundation
Disodium Ribonucleotides: regulation, sources and other products →Caramel Colour (Class III & IV) (E150c)
Classes III and IV of caramel colour (INS 150c/150d) are made with ammonia, a process that can generate 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) as a by-product. IARC classifies 4-MEI as Group 2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans, and California lists it under Proposition 65 with a warning threshold — though EFSA's own re-evaluation did not reach the same level of concern as IARC's classification. This label does not state the product's 4-MEI concentration, so exposure from this specific product cannot be determined from the ingredient list alone. It is the colour that makes colas and dark sauces brown. Classes I and II are made without ammonia and do not carry this concern.
Regulatory & scientific authority Source: IARC Monograph Vol. 101 (4-MEI); California Proposition 65; EFSA re-evaluation of caramel colours (2011)
Caramel Colour (Class III & IV): regulation, sources and other products →Decode Label Analysis
Contains Ammonia Caramel Colour (E150d), which carries 4-MEI, classified by IARC as a Group 2B possible human carcinogen.
Contains Flavour Enhancer (E635) (Disodium Ribonucleotides), which contains purines and may trigger gout in susceptible individuals.
Claim check
Front-of-pack marketing claims checked against this product's actual ingredients and nutrition. "Can't verify" means the label does not provide enough information to check the claim — it is not the same as the claim being false.
This is a marketing slogan expressing a preference for a cuisine style and cannot be verified from the ingredient list or nutrition facts.
The product name states 'Hot & Sour', which is a flavor profile, and the ingredients list chilli powder and pepper powder for 'hot' and acidity regulator (E260) for 'sour'.
The product is described as 'Instant Soup', indicating quick preparation, which is typical for such packaged products.
The ingredients list 'Dehydrated Vegetables 12% (carrot, cabbage)', confirming the presence of real vegetables.
Read straight from the back-of-pack photo — quantities, sections and any disguised terms, so the small print can’t hide behind the marketing.
22 entries as printed on the label · 21 distinct ingredients (some are declared more than once).
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1.
Potato Starch
-
2.
Salt
-
3.
Dried Glucose Syrup
-
4.
Dehydrated Vegetables 12%Dehydrated Vegetables 12%
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Carrot within Dehydrated Vegetablescarrot
-
Cabbage within Dehydrated Vegetablescabbage
-
5.
Sugar
-
6.
Soy Sauce PowderSoy Sauce Powder (soybean, wheat, salt)
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Soybean within Soy Sauce Powdersoybean
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Wheat within Soy Sauce Powderwheat
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Salt within Soy Sauce Powdersalt
-
7.
Flavour Enhancer (E635)
-
8.
Garlic
-
9.
Spices 1.8% trace amountSpices 1.8% (chilli powder, pepper powder)
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Chilli Powder within Spiceschilli powder
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Pepper Powder within Spicespepper powder
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10.
Natural Colour (E150d)
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11.
Acidity Regulator (E260)
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12.
Onion Powder
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13.
Anticaking Agent (E551)
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14.
Sunflower Oil
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15.
Thickener (E415)
Trace amounts: some named ingredients appear in token quantities or low in the list. At these concentrations a meaningful benefit is unlikely, and their front-of-pack prominence may not reflect their level in the formulation.
In label order — normally largest quantity first. Select a row for the full write-up and sources.
These are major food allergens named on the ingredient list. They are a risk only to people allergic to them — not a general-population safety issue — so they do not lower the safety score. Anyone with the allergy should avoid this product, and check the pack’s own allergen statement.
The label declares each of these as a blend and then lists what is in it. The components appear in the groups above on their own merits, so the blend itself is shown here rather than counted a second time.
✓ Decode Label Assessment: Favorable ⚠ Decode Label Assessment: Concern Decode Label Assessment: Neutral
Who should take caution
About this ingredient
No detailed safety data in our database yet for this ingredient.
Learn More
| Energy | 45 kcal |
| Protein | 0.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 3 g |
| Total Fat | 0.13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.03 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g |
Colour shows the per-100g level (green = low, amber = moderate, red = high), calculated from the declared serving — this label prints per-serving figures only.
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What are the ingredients in Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour?
The label of Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour lists 21 ingredients, in label order: Potato Starch, Dried Glucose Syrup, Dehydrated Vegetables, Carrot, Cabbage, Sugar, Soy Sauce Powder, Soybean, Wheat, Salt, Flavour Enhancer (E635), Garlic, Spices, Chilli Powder, Pepper Powder, Natural Colour (E150d), Acidity Regulator (E260), Onion powder, Anticaking Agent (E551), Sunflower oil, Thickener (E415). Flagged by the analysis: Natural Colour (E150d), Flavour Enhancer (E635), Dried Glucose Syrup.
Is Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour safe to eat?
Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour scores 3.9/10 on Decode Label (Concerning). The score is capped for a specific safety reason, set out below. This soup mix contains ammonia caramel colour (E150d), which has a by-product classified by IARC as a possible human carcinogen. It also includes a flavour enhancer (E635) that can be problematic for individuals prone to gout. The product is highly processed with added sugar and sodium, which are concerns for overall dietary health.
Why does Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour score 3.9/10?
Flagged in the score: High in added sugars (Dried Glucose Syrup, Sugar). Also noted: Contains ammonia caramel colour (E150d), an IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen. Contains flavour enhancer E635 (Disodium Ribonucleotides) which can trigger gout.
Who should avoid Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour?
The points the analysis notes are most relevant to: Gout; Sensitive to food additives; Children under 5; Individuals avoiding IARC 2B carcinogens; Soy allergy.
Is Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour suitable for babies or young children?
Toddlers & young children (1–5): Avoid.
Does Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour contain allergens?
Yes — the ingredient list contains soy (Soy Sauce Powder and Soybean) and gluten (Wheat). Check the allergen statement on the pack too if you have a diagnosed allergy.
Does Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour contain soy?
Yes — the ingredient list names Soy Sauce Powder and Soybean. People with soy allergy should treat it as containing soy, and check the allergen statement on the pack too.
Does Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour contain gluten?
Yes — the ingredient list names Wheat. People with gluten / wheat sensitivity (coeliac disease) should treat it as containing gluten, and check the allergen statement on the pack too.
How much sugar is in Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour?
20 g of total sugar per 100 g. The label does not declare added sugar separately, so we cannot say how much of it is added.
Are the claims on the Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour pack accurate?
Decode Label checked 4 claims against the ingredient list and nutrition panel. "I Love Desi Chinese" — can't be verified from the label.
Is Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour vegetarian?
Chings Instant Soup - Hot & Sour is marked vegetarian.
Answers are generated from this product's own Decode Label analysis — the score, the ingredient list and the label claims shown above. Always check the pack itself for allergen and dietary information.
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Recipes change and packs get reformulated. If the ingredients or the panel on the pack in your hand differ from what we show, tell us and we will check it.
About this analysis: Based on declared label information and available evidence. Decode Label does not independently laboratory-test products, and a score is not a regulatory determination or medical advice.
Disclaimer: Safety scores are Decode Label-generated assessments based on publicly available regulatory data (FSSAI, WHO, EFSA, IARC) and peer-reviewed research. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, and they are not a regulatory determination, a laboratory safety certification or a medical diagnosis. Ingredient safety can vary by individual health conditions, concentration, and usage context. Decode Label is an independent information service and scores every brand by the same rules. No brand pays for or influences its score. Our founder also founded the personal-care brand Botani Bestie (see our story); its products are scored exactly like everyone else's. Data limitations: This assessment is based on the information declared on the product label and the evidence sources above — Decode Label does not independently laboratory-test this product. Ingredient concentrations, sourcing and manufacturing can vary between batches and are not always disclosed. A finding that is not shown here means it was not identified from the available label information, not that it has been ruled out.
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