Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Ainsley harriot Thai Chicken And Lemongrass Soup ultra-processed?

4x20gr Dehydrated soups Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Ainsley harriot Thai Chicken And Lemongrass Soup

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 36 ingredients
  • 6 additives

Less processed dehydrated soups

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Dried Glucose Syrup, Potato Starch, Salt, Palm Oil, Coconut Milk (Coconut, Maltodextrin, Gum Arabic), Sunflower Oil, Whey Powder, Yeast Extract, Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Leek, Natural Flavourings, Chicken Meat 0.8%, Ginger, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Flavouring, MILK Protein, Chicken Fat 0.5%, Potassium Phosphates, Coriander, Curcumin, Paprika Extract, Lemongrass 0.2%, Maltodextrin, Sodium Citrates, WHEAT Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin, Extracts Of Rosemary, celery

Additives: E100 Curcumin , E160c Paprika extract , E331 Sodium citrates , E340 Potassium phosphates , E392 Extracts of rosemary , E414 Acacia gum

As written on the pack

Dried Glucose Syrup, Potato Starch, Salt, Palm Oil, Coconut Milk Powder (Coconut Extract, Maltodextrin, Gum Arabic), Sunflower Oil, Whey Powder, Yeast Extract, Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Leek, Natural Flavourings, Chicken Meat (0.8%), Ginger, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Flavouring, MILK Protein, Chicken Fat (0.5%), Potassium Phosphates, Coriander, Curcumin, Paprika Extract, Lemongrass (0.2%), Maltodextrin, Sodium Citrates, WHEAT Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin, Extracts Of Rosemary, CELERY.

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E100 Curcumin Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • E414 Acacia gum Gum arabic (acacia gum) is the hardened sap of acacia trees, used to stabilise flavour emulsions in soft drinks and to coat sweets.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

Substances rarely used in home kitchens

Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
4 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 55 dehydrated soups

From least to most processed, this one ranks 44th. 84% of the dehydrated soups here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 55 dehydrated soups, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5025820008734, last edited 16 September 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.