Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Asda Soy & Garlic Stir-fry Sauce ultra-processed?

Soy sauces Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Asda Soy & Garlic Stir-fry Sauce

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:

  • 21 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed soy 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

Water, Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce 9% (Water, Soya Beans, Wheat, Salt), Rice Wine Vinegar, Sesame Seed Oil, Cornflour, Ginger 3%, Garlic Purée 3%, Colour (Plain Caramel), Five Spice (Star Anise, Cinnamon, Fennel, Black Pepper, Cloves), Allergy Advice!

Additives: E150a Plain caramel

As written on the pack

Water, Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce (9%) [Water, Soya Beans, Wheat, Salt], Rice Wine Vinegar, Sesame Seed Oil, Cornflour, Ginger Purée (3%), Garlic Purée (3%), Colour (Plain Caramel), Five Spice [Star Anise, Cinnamon, Fennel, Black Pepper, Cloves]. Allergy Advice!

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.

  • E150a Plain caramel Plain caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 94 soy sauces

From least to most processed, this one ranks 51st. 60% of the soy 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 94 soy sauces, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5054781796664, last edited 5 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.