Is Cook By Asda Gochujang Paste ultra-processed?

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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
E415 Xanthan gum

19 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score E

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

White Miso Paste 34%, Water, Soya Beans, Rice, Salt Alcohol, Sugar (processing marker), Water, Spirit Vinegar, Red Bell Pepper, 1 Chilli powder, Dried Onion, Garlic, Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Colour (ultra-processing marker) (Paprika Extract (ultra-processing marker)), Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum (ultra-processing marker)), see ingredients in bold Wome

Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E415 Xanthan gum

As written on the pack

White Miso Paste (34%) [Water, Soya Beans, Rice, Salt Alcohol, Sugar, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Red Bell Pepper Powder (1 Chilli powder, Dried Onion, Garlic Powder, Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid) Colour (Paprika Extract), Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum). Allergy Advice! for allergens, see ingredients in bold Suitable for vegetarians Wome

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.
E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.

1 ingredient that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5063089164068, last edited 27 March 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
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.