Is Ben's Original Tomato & Basil ultra-processed?

220 Rice dishes Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring

14 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score C

Less processed rice dishes

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

parboiled long grain rice 86%, tomato paste 6.3%, sunflower oil (processing marker), tomato, basil, natural flavouring (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), sugar (processing marker), acid (citric acid), yeast extract, garlic powder, spice, herbs

Additives: E330 Citric acid

As written on the pack

Steamed parboiled long grain rice (86%), double concentrated tomato paste (6.3%), sunflower oil, tomato powder, basil, natural flavouring, salt, sugar, acid (citric acid), yeast extract, garlic powder, spice, herbs.

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.

Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 192 rice dishes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 71st. 71% of the rice dishes 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 192 rice dishes, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010034014046, last edited 26 July 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 C (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.