Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Birds Eye Chicken-Free Southern-Fried Strips ultra-processed?

210 g Meat analogues Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Birds Eye Chicken-Free Southern-Fried Strips

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:

  • 28 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed meat analogues

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

Rehydrated Wheat Protein 38%, Wheat Flour, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Starch (Tapioca, Potato, Wheat), Bamboo Fibre, Stabiliser (Methylcellulose), Spices, Natural Flavourings, Garlic, Salt, Yeast, Yeast Extract, Wheat Gluten, Maltodextrin, Onion, Sage, Spice Extracts, Garlic Extract, Onion Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin

Additives: E170 Calcium carbonates , E170i Calcium carbonate , E461 Methyl cellulose

As written on the pack

Rehydrated Wheat Protein 38%, Wheat Flour, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Starch (Tapioca, Potato, Wheat), Bamboo Fibre, Stabiliser (Methylcellulose), Spices, Natural Flavourings, Garlic Powder, Salt, Yeast, Yeast Extract, Wheat Gluten, Maltodextrin, Onion Powder, Sage, Spice Extracts, Garlic Extract, Onion Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin.

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.

  • E170 Calcium carbonates Calcium carbonate is chalk.
  • E461 Methyl cellulose Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • 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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
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 512 meat analogues

From least to most processed, this one ranks 381st. 80% of the meat analogues 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 512 meat analogues, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000116126590, last edited 8 May 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 B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.