Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Bovril Beef Stock ultra-processed?

Bouillon cubes Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Bovril Beef Stock

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:

  • 19 ingredients
  • 5 additives

Less processed bouillon cubes

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

Salt, flavourings, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), colour (ammonia caramel), sugar, potassium chloride, potato starch, palm fat, beef stock 4.5%, onion +, yeast extract, acid (lactic acid), lovage root+, sunflower oil

Additives: E150c Ammonia caramel , E270 Lactic acid , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate

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

As written on the pack

Salt, flavourings, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), colour (ammonia caramel), sugar, potassium chloride, potato starch, palm fat, beef stock powder (4.5%), onion juice concentrate+, yeast extract, acid (lactic acid), lovage root+, sunflower oil. May contain wheat, rye, barley, oat, egg, soy, milk, celery and mustard.

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.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • E627 Disodium guanylate Disodium guanylate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
  • E631 Disodium inosinate Disodium inosinate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavour enhancer Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (E621) strengthen savoury taste without adding a flavour of their own.
Show 1 more
  • 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.

  • 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 60 bouillon cubes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 60th. 85% of the bouillon cubes 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 60 bouillon cubes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 8720182970367, last edited 26 June 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.