Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Heinz Classic Chicken & Sweetcorn soup ultra-processed?

400g Canned soups Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Heinz Classic Chicken & Sweetcorn soup

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:

  • 23 ingredients
  • 4 additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed canned soups

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

Water, Sweetcorn 12%, Modified Cornflour, Chicken 3%, Cream, Rapeseed Oil, Skimmed Milk, Wheat Flour (contains Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Flavourings, Milk Proteins, Yeast Extracts, Stabiliser, Polyphosphates, Sodium Phosphates, Garlic Salt, Spice Extract, Black Pepper, Salt, Colour-Beta-carotene

Additives: E160a Carotene , E160ai Beta-carotene , E339 Sodium phosphates , E452 Polyphosphates

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E160a Carotene.

As written on the pack

Water, Sweetcorn (12%), Modified Cornflour, Chicken (3%), Cream (Milk), Rapeseed Oil, Dried Skimmed Milk, Wheat Flour (contains Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Flavourings (contain Milk), Milk Proteins, Yeast Extracts, Stabiliser - Polyphosphates and Sodium Phosphates, Garlic Salt, Spice Extract, Black Pepper, Salt, Colour-Beta-carotene

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.

  • E160a Carotene Carotenes are orange-yellow pigments, either synthesised or extracted from carrots, algae or palm oil.
  • E452 Polyphosphates 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.

  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • Modified flour An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 190 canned soups

From least to most processed, this one ranks 181st. 68% of the canned soups 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 190 canned soups, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000157074041, 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.
  • 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.