In France, the respected magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs has put everyday tomato products under the microscope. From the results, a single organic tomato coulis has emerged as the clear favourite, raising questions about what we actually pour over our pasta at home.
Tomato sauce aisles are a minefield for shoppers
The red wall of pasta sauces in any supermarket looks reassuring. Arrabbiata, bolognese, Provençale, napoletana: the labels promise Italy in a jar. Yet the investigation by 60 Millions de Consommateurs suggests that many of these products share the same problem: too much salt, too much sugar, and a lot more processing than most buyers realise.
The magazine’s journalists examined 30 tomato-based products on the French market. They focused on four major families:
- Tomato and basil sauces
- Bolognese-style sauces
- Plain tomato coulis
- Tomato concentrates
Each product was assessed on several criteria: where the tomatoes really come from, pesticide residues, salt and sugar levels, and the presence of ingredients considered markers of ultra-processing.
Behind a simple red sauce, the testers found big differences in quality, composition and even agricultural practices.
The bad surprise: concentrates packed with sugar and pesticide traces
The most disappointing products in the study were the tomato concentrates, often sold in small tins or tubes and used as a base for home-cooked sauces.
Suspicious origins behind “Italian” labels
Many of these concentrates were marketed with an Italian image. Yet isotopic analysis – a scientific technique that traces where plants are grown by studying their chemical signature – pointed instead towards tomatoes from China.
That gap between packaging and probable origin sparked concern among testers, especially as shoppers often associate “Italy” with higher quality standards for tomato products.
A banned insecticide still showing up
The concentrates also raised red flags for pesticide residues. According to the magazine’s findings, all of the tested concentrates contained traces of imidacloprid, a controversial insecticide banned in the European Union since 2020.
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Even organic-labelled products were affected, likely due to the chemical’s persistence in soils and groundwater rather than direct use on the crops.
Every concentrate assessed contained imidacloprid residues, including organic versions, highlighting the long afterlife of some pesticides.
Concentrates were also described as very rich in natural sugars, a side-effect of removing water to create a thick paste. That may not make them unhealthy as such, but it does change the nutritional profile and can push up the overall sugar intake of a dish if generous amounts are used.
Cooked sauces: too salty and often more processed
Ready-to-use “cooked” tomato sauces, such as bolognese or basil tomato sauces, did not shine either. All contained at least one pesticide residue, and some combined several different ones. One private-label sauce from discount chain Lidl reportedly held six distinct pesticide residues in a single jar.
On top of that, many of these ready-made sauces were loaded with salt. That makes them convenient but less friendly to blood pressure and long-term cardiovascular health, especially for people who use them regularly.
Several brands also relied on additives such as modified starches. These help stabilise texture and stop the sauce from separating, but they also push the recipe further from the simple “tomatoes, olive oil, herbs” that many consumers imagine.
The quiet winner: an organic tomato coulis “almost perfect”
Amid these mixed results, one category held up far better: plain tomato coulis. These products are typically made from sieved tomato purée, sometimes with a touch of added salt and little or nothing else.
This is where the test’s star product appeared: an organic tomato coulis sold under the name “Le Delizie di Mamma”, available in French organic chain Naturalia.
“Le Delizie di Mamma” tomato coulis scored 19.2 out of 20, making it the only product to earn full praise from the panel.
According to the magazine, this coulis comes very close to a homemade-style product: a short ingredient list, organic certification, controlled levels of salt and sugar, and reassuring test results for pesticide residues.
| Product type | Typical ingredients | Main concerns from the test | Overall verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato concentrates | Tomatoes, sometimes salt | High natural sugar, pesticide residues, doubtful origin | Disappointing |
| Cooked sauces (bolognese, basil, etc.) | Tomatoes, oils, meat or veg, salt, additives | Multiple pesticide residues, high salt, ultra-processing markers | Mixed, often mediocre |
| Plain tomato coulis | Tomato purée, sometimes a little salt | Generally cleaner profiles and simpler recipes | Best-performing category |
Why coulis tends to be a safer bet
Tomato coulis usually sticks to the basics: tomatoes and perhaps a pinch of salt. No cream, no sugar, no meat, no thickeners. This simplicity naturally limits the number of potential additives and contaminants in the final product.
Because the recipe is stripped back, each element matters more: quality of the tomatoes, farming practices, and processing methods. A well-made coulis will let the tomato flavour stand out without needing flavour boosters.
For busy households, a good coulis can also be a flexible base. It can be turned into a quick pasta sauce with olive oil and garlic, a pizza base, or the tomato layer in a lasagne, all without the long list of stabilisers seen in some jarred sauces.
How to read a tomato sauce label without a chemistry degree
The study’s main takeaway for shoppers is simple: never grab a tomato product without glancing at the label first. A 10-second check often reveals whether a jar is closer to a home-style recipe or a heavily engineered one.
Here are a few simple checks:
- Count the ingredients: three or four items usually signal a straightforward recipe.
- Scan for added sugar: words like “sugar”, “glucose syrup” or “dextrose” show the sweetness is not just from tomatoes.
- Check salt per 100 g: anything edging towards 1 g of salt or more per 100 g is on the salty side.
- Look for unfamiliar additives: modified starches, flavour enhancers or acidity regulators all suggest heavier processing.
- Origin of tomatoes: “Made in” is not always the same as “grown in”, so any extra clarity on tomato origin is a plus.
A quick scan of the label often tells you whether you are buying a pot of tomatoes or a laboratory project in red.
What “ultra-processed” really means in this context
The test referred to “markers of ultra-processing”, a term that can sound vague. In food research, ultra-processed products are those that rely heavily on industrial techniques and ingredients not typically used in a normal kitchen.
In tomato sauces, that can include:
- Starches altered to change texture or stability
- Industrial flavourings to boost taste
- Colourings to keep a uniform red shade
- Complex stabilisers to stop separation over long shelf lives
Eating one jar of such sauce is not a disaster. The concern arises when a whole diet revolves around similar products, adding up to frequent, long-term exposure to additives and higher levels of salt, fat or sugar.
Practical kitchen scenarios: when quality tomato coulis makes a difference
For someone cooking on a weeknight, the distinction between an average sauce and a high-quality coulis might sound theoretical. Yet it can change both flavour and nutrition.
Picture two plates of spaghetti:
- Plate A: Pasta topped with a jarred sauce rich in salt, with several pesticides detected, thickened with modified starch and containing added sugar to round out the taste.
- Plate B: Pasta tossed with an organic coulis like “Le Delizie di Mamma”, reduced briefly in a pan with olive oil, garlic, dried oregano and a pinch of salt.
Both plates come together quickly. The second one offers a cleaner ingredient list, less salt, and more control for the cook. Over months and years, those daily choices can add up.
For families trying to cut down on ultra-processed foods without spending hours in the kitchen, a high-quality tomato coulis is a useful shortcut. It keeps the convenience of a jar while leaving the seasoning, fat and extras in the hands of the person at the stove.
The French test does not just crown one brand; it points towards a simple rule: fewer ingredients, better tomatoes, and a bit more attention in front of the shelf.