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Index / Snacks / Lay'sUpdated 05 May 2026 · Methodology v1
Lay's · 48g / 52g pouch · Snacks

Magic Masala Chips

Don't Eat

Deep-fried potato chips with palmolein oil and high sodium; masala seasoning masks ultra-processed NOVA-4 profile.

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Fig. 01 · 48g / 52g pouch · web-sourced

§01 — Six-Axis Assessment

Red = warning
01/06Sugar loadWatch

Evidence is insufficient to apply the red/green thresholds precisely because added-sugar grams per 100g are not provided from a label, and the ingredient order is not evidenced by a cited quote. The provided ingredients list includes "Sugar" (added sugar), but without a source-quoted top-3/top-5 placement or added-sugar quantity, this maps conservatively to YELLOW (potential added sugar present, but threshold not proven).

02/06Processing tierRed

The product is described as "NOVA-4 ultra-processed" and the ingredients show industrial formulation elements (palmolein oil, dehydrated spice powders, spice extract, citric acid). Under the framework, Processing tier is RED when NOVA Group 4 AND any other axis fails; here Sodium is flagged RED and Fat profile is flagged RED based on the provided nutrition/ingredients description.

03/06Fat profileRed

The research states total fat is ~25–30g per 100g and saturated fat is ~10–12g per 100g, which crosses the RED threshold of saturated fat >5g/100g for solids. Palmolein oil is also listed as an edible oil source in the ingredients, supporting a high-SFA profile.

04/06SodiumRed

The research estimates ~800–1000mg sodium per 100g, exceeding the RED threshold of ≥625mg sodium per 100g for solids. It also notes a 48g serving would deliver ~400–500mg sodium, consistent with a high-sodium discretionary snack.

05/06Marketing deceptionWatch

The research notes front-of-pack/positioning around "authentic Indian spices" / "bold masala" while the ingredients are mainly dehydrated commodity powders (onion powder, chilli powder, coriander seed powder, etc. This is soft framing not clearly contradicted by a quantified nutrition claim or an active ASCI/FSSAI ruling, so it fits YELLOW rather than RED based on the available evidence.

06/06Regulatory historyClear

The research states no FSSAI recall, suspension, or adulteration notice identified for this variant as of May 2026. No specific complaint/ruling is provided in the input, so this remains GREEN on available evidence.

§06 — Ingredients

Potato, Edible Oil (Palmolein Oil, Rice Bran Oil), Spices & Condiments (Onion Powder, Chili Powder, Dried Mango Powder, Coriander Seed Powder, Ginger Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper Powder, Spices Extract, Turmeric Powder), Salt, Black Salt, Sugar, Tomato Powder, Citric Acid.