Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is ICA Tikka Masala ultra-processed?

480 g Tikka masala sauce Sold in Sweden

Pack of ICA Tikka Masala

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:

  • 45 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed tikka masala sauce

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

Vatten, tomat, yoghurt, rapsolja, tomatpuré, grädde, lök, socker, ingefära, modifierad majsstärkelse, kokosolja, salt, curryblandning (koriander, gurkmeja, bockhornsklöver, spiskummin, ingefära, paprika, kanel, vitlök, svartpeppar, kryddnejlika, chili, rismjöl, salt, lök, fänkålsfrön), mjölkprotein, citronjuice, kryddblandning (aromer, maltodextrin, modifierad tapiokastärkelse, solrosolja, emulgeringsmedel (e471), färgämnen (e150d)), vitlök, korianderblad, bockhornsklöver, blad, röd chili, paprikaextrakt

Additives: E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel , E160c Paprika extract , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

As written on the pack

Vatten, tomat, yoghurt, rapsolja, tomatpuré, grädde, lök, socker, ingefära puré, modifierad majsstärkelse, kokosolja, salt, curryblandning (koriander, gurkmeja, bockhornsklöver, spiskummin, ingefära, paprika, kanel, vitlök, svartpeppar, kryddnejlika, chili, rismjöl, salt, lök, fänkålsfrön), mjölkprotein, koncentrerad citronjuice, kryddblandning (aromer, maltodextrin, modifierad tapiokastärkelse, solrosolja, emulgeringsmedel (E471), färgämnen (E150d)), vitlök, korianderblad, bockhornsklöver, blad, röd chili, paprikaextrakt.

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.

  • E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel Sulphite ammonia caramel is the dark brown colour in colas and many sauces, made by heating sugars with sulphite and ammonia compounds.
  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
Show 1 more
  • 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.

  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
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 20 tikka masala sauce

From least to most processed, this one ranks 20th. 90% of the tikka masala sauce 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 20 tikka masala sauce, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 7318690019909, last edited 2 April 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.