Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Lidl Double Strength Squash Orange (No added sugar) ultra-processed?

1.5L Cordials Sold in Ireland and France

Pack of Lidl Double Strength Squash Orange (No added sugar)

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:

  • 20 ingredients
  • 10 additives

Less processed cordials

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, Comminuted Orange from Concentrate 20%, Acid (Citric Acid), Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrates), Sweeteners (Acesulfame K), Sucralose Flavouring, Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate), Sodium Metabisulphite, Stabilisers (Carboxy Methyl Cellulose), Acacia Gum, Glycerol Esters of Wood Rosins, Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Colour (Carotenes)

Additives: E160a Carotene , E202 Potassium sorbate , E223 Sodium metabisulphite , E300 Ascorbic acid , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E414 Acacia gum , E445 Glycerol esters of wood rosin , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E950 Acesulfame k

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E445 Glycerol esters of wood rosin.

As written on the pack

Water, 20% Comminuted Orange from Concentrate (Sulphites), Acid Citric Acid; Acidity Regulator: Sodium Citrates; Sweeteners: Acesulfame K, Sucralose Flavouring, Preservatives: Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Metabisulphite; Stabilisers Carboxy Methyl Cellulose, Acacia Gum, Glycerol Esters of Wood Rosins; Antioxidant Ascorbic Acid; Colour: Carotenes.

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.
  • E414 Acacia gum Gum arabic (acacia gum) is the hardened sap of acacia trees, used to stabilise flavour emulsions in soft drinks and to coat sweets.
  • E445 Glycerol esters of wood rosin 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.
  • E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
Show 1 more
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.
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.

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 28 cordials

From least to most processed, this one ranks 26th. 75% of the cordials 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 28 cordials, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 20401818, last edited 23 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.