Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Asda gravy granules for meat ultra-processed?

Dehydrated sauces Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Asda gravy granules for meat

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:

  • 24 ingredients
  • 2 additives

Less processed dehydrated sauces

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

potato starch, palm oil, salt, fortified wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin (b3), thiamin (b1)), colour (ammonia caramel), hydrolysed wheat protein, onion, flavouring, emulsifier (soya lecithins), including cereals containing gluten, flavours, hydrogenated fat, nutrition we suggest this product provides 60 servings per typical values (prepared as directed), energy kj energy kcal fat

Additives: E150c Ammonia caramel , E322 Lecithins

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E150c Ammonia caramel.

As written on the pack

potato starch, palm oil, salt, fortified wheat flour [wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin (b3), thiamin (b1)], colour (ammonia caramel), hydrolysed wheat protein, onion powder, flavouring (contains wheat), emulsifier (soya lecithins). allergy advice! for allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold. no artificial colours, flavours or hydrogenated fat. nutrition we suggest this product provides 60 servings per typical values (prepared as directed) 100ml energy kj energy kcal fat

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.

  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • 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.

  • Hydrogenated fat An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
2 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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 50 dehydrated sauces

From least to most processed, this one ranks 28th. 96% of the dehydrated sauces 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 50 dehydrated sauces, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5057172091249, 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.
  • 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.