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Is Huel Instant Meals - Spaghetti Carbonara ultra-processed?

693g Carbonara-style pasta Sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Pack of Huel Instant Meals - Spaghetti Carbonara

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:

  • 87 ingredients
  • 4 additives

Less processed carbonara-style pasta

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

Dried Spaghetti Pasta 53% (Durum Wheat Semolina), Pea Protein, Carbonara Style Seasoning Blend 7.9% (Dairy Free Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Glucose Syrup, Modified Starch), Yeast Extract, Parsley, Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper), Textured Vegetable Protein 7.1% (Pea Protein 2.7%, Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil), Yeast Extract, Salt, Vegetable Concentrates (Beetroot, Carrot, Carrot), Water, Natural Flavouring, Water, Dried Vegetables (Onion, Potato, Leek), Dextrose, Garlic, Black Pepper, Sugar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Bay Leaves, Sage Oil), Corn Starch, Flaxseed Oil, Micronutrient Blend, Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate), Chloride (as Sodium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Sodium, Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Zinc (as Zinc Oxide)), Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Niacin (as Niacinamide), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium-D Pantothenate), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin D (D2 as Ergocalciferol, D3 as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Rivoflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate)), Lutein, Lycopene, Zeaxanthin, Coconut Milk, Natural Flavouring, Sunflower Oil

Additives: E14XX Modified Starch , E160d Lycopene , E161b Lutein , E161h Zeaxanthin

As written on the pack

Dried Spaghetti Pasta (53%) (Durum Wheat Semolina), Pea Protein, Carbonara Style Seasoning Blend (7.9%) (Dairy Free Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Glucose Syrup, Modified Starch), Yeast Extract, Parsley, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper), Textured Vegetable Protein (7.1%) (Pea Protein (2.7%), Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil), Yeast Extract, Salt, Vegetable Concentrates (Beetroot, Caramelised Carrot, Carrot), Water, Natural Flavouring, Smoked Water, Dried Vegetables (Onion, Potato, Leek), Dextrose, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Sugar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Bay Leaves, Sage Oil), Corn Starch, Flaxseed Oil Powder, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate), Chloride (as Sodium Chloride), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Sodium, Iodine (as Potassium Iodide), Zinc (as Zinc Oxide)), Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Niacin (as Niacinamide), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium-D Pantothenate), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin D (D2 as Ergocalciferol, D3 as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Rivoflavin), Vitamin B1(Thiamine Mononitrate), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate)), Lutein, Lycopene, Zeaxanthin), Coconut Milk Powder, Natural Flavouring, Sunflower Oil Powder.

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.

  • E14xx Modified Starch Modified starches (E1400 to E1452) are starches treated physically, with enzymes or chemically so that they thicken and hold up to heating, freezing or acidity better than ordinary starch.
  • E160d Lycopene Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E161b Lutein Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E161h Zeaxanthin Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
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 11 carbonara-style pasta

From least to most processed, this one ranks 11th. 55% of the carbonara-style pasta 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 11 carbonara-style pasta, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060929633425, 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.