Is hovis seed sensations sunflower & pumpkin ultra-processed?

Wholemeal sliced breads 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:

Emulsifier
E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

31 ingredients
3 additives

Less processed wholemeal sliced breads

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, Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Flour (Wheat), Sunflower Seeds 6%, Pumpkin Seeds 3%, Wheat Protein, Yeast, Pinhead Oats 1%, Soya Flour, Salt (processing marker), Oat Bran, Jumbo Oats 0.5%, Barley Flour, Wheat Bran, Preservative (processing marker) (e282), Emulsifier (ultra-processing marker) (e472e (ultra-processing marker)), Molasses (processing marker), Sugar (processing marker), Barley Fibre, Malted Barley Flour, Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic Acid), For allergens including cereals STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS (Containing gluten)

Additives: E282 Calcium propionate , E300 Ascorbic acid , E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

As written on the pack

Water, Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Wholemeal Flour (Wheat), Sunflower Seeds (6%), Pumpkin Seeds (3%), Wheat Protein, Yeast, Pinhead Oats (1%), Soya Flour, Salt, Oat Bran, Jumbo Oats (0.5%), Barley Flour, Wheat Bran, Preservative: E282, Emulsifier: E472e, Molasses, Sugar, Barley Fibre, Malted Barley Flour, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid. ALLERGY ADVICE: For allergens including cereals STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Containing gluten, see ingredients in bold.

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.

E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids 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.
Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.

3 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.

Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 38 wholemeal sliced breads

From least to most processed, this one ranks 25th. 89% of the wholemeal sliced breads 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 38 wholemeal sliced breads, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010003066342, 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.