Is Blue dragon Pad Thai Kit ultra-processed?

Noodles 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:

Colour
E160c Paprika extract

21 ingredients
2 additives

Less processed noodles

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

Rice noodles 47% (Rice, Tapioca starch (processing marker)), Pad Thai Paste 45% (Sugar (processing marker), Soybean Oil (processing marker), Shallot 6%, Tamarind Paste 5.5%, Tamarind, Water), Tomato Paste, Distilled Vinegar, Garlic 2%, Salt (processing marker), Colour (ultra-processing marker) (Paprika Extract (ultra-processing marker)), Antioxidant (Tocopherol Rich Extract), Chilli, Peanuts 8%, and

Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E306 Tocopherol-rich extract

As written on the pack

Rice noodles (47%)[Rice, Tapioca starch], Pad Thai Paste (45%)[Sugar, Soybean Oil, Shallot (6%), Tamarind Paste (5.5%) [Tamarind, Water], Tomato Paste, Distilled Vinegar, Garlic (2%), Salt, Colour (Paprika Extract), Antioxidant (Tocopherol Rich Extract), Chilli Extract], Crushed Peanuts (8%). Allergy Advice:For allergens, see ingredients in bold. May also contain nuts. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

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.

E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.

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.
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 416 noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 178th. 73% of the noodles 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 416 noodles, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010338404772, last edited 16 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.