Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Aldi Tortellini ultra-processed?

Tortellini Sold in the United Kingdom

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:

  • 30 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed tortellini

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

Pasta (Wheat Flour, EGG 20%, Durum Wheat Semolina, Water), ricotta cheese 11% (Ricotta Cheese, Salt), Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast), Whey Powder, Full Fat Soft Cheese (Cheese, Salt), Sunflower Oil, Potato Starch, edam cheese, emmental cheese, medium fat hard cheese, Water, blue cheese, Salt, Emulsifier (Sodium Citrates), Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Flavourings

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates

As written on the pack

Pasta (Wheat Flour, PASTEURISED EGG (20%), Durum Wheat Semolina, Water), RICOTTA CHEESE (11%) (Ricotta Cheese (Milk), Salt), Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast), Whey Powder (Milk), Full Fat Soft Cheese (Cheese (Milk), Salt), Sunflower Oil, Potato Starch, EDAM CHEESE (MILK) (2%), EMMENTAL CHEESE (MILK) (2%), MEDIUM FAT HARD CHEESE (MILK) (1.5%), Water, BLUE CHEESE (MILK) (1%), Salt, Emulsifier: Sodium Citrates; Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid; Flavourings.

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.

  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • 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.

  • 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.
5 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.
  • Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 21 tortellini

From least to most processed, this one ranks 17th. 86% of the tortellini 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 21 tortellini, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4061459803563, last edited 27 March 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.