Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Jacob’s Red Leicester Bites ultra-processed?

Appetizers Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Jacob’s Red Leicester Bites

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:

  • 22 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed appetizers

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

Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Potato, Sunflower Oil, Starch, Natural Flavourings, Maltodextrin, Wheat Gluten, Barley, Barley Malt Extract, Raising Agents (Sodium Bicarbonate, Disodium Diphosphate), Glucose Syrup, Salt, Flour Treatment Agent (Sodium Metabisulphite), Wheat Starch

Additives: E223 Sodium metabisulphite , E450 Diphosphates , E450i Disodium diphosphate , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Dried Potato (contains Sulphites), Sunflower Oil, Starch, Natural Flavourings (contains Milk, Wheat), Maltodextrin, Wheat Gluten, Barley and Barley Malt Extract, Raising Agents (Sodium Bicarbonate, Disodium Diphosphate), Glucose Syrup, Salt, Flour Treatment Agent (Sodium Metabisulphite), Wheat Starch.

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.

  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • 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.

  • 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.
  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
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.

  • Salty snacks Products in the category "Salty snacks" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 2,498 appetizers

From least to most processed, this one ranks 2230th. 64% of the appetizers 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 2,498 appetizers, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000168004143, last edited 8 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 D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.