Uncle Ben's is overhauling its sauce portfolio to remove all artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.

The reformulation kicks off with the brand's Mexican Chilli range, which hits supermarket shelves next week. The move will be carried across the rest of its brands during the next 12 months.

"The upgrade of the Mexican Chilli range marks the first of a number of plans to improve the nutritional balance of recipes, without compromising on taste," said customer marketing manager Suzanne McFarlin.

Uncle Ben's is backing the relaunch with TV ads from next week, and a £375,000 press campaign across women's weekly titles. One ad features the line "A tasty Mexican and nothing else" to emphasise the product's natural credentials.

"Consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious and label literate," added McFarlin. "They want to know that recipes are delicious and contain ingredients that form part of a healthy lifestyle."