Is Lidl Halloumi fries ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 31 ingredients
- 3 additives
- Nutri-Score D
Less processed breaded cheeses
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
Cypriot Halloumi Full Fat Semi-Hard Cheese 32%, Greek-Style Medium Fat Semi-Hard Cheese 32% (Cheese (processing marker), Water, Cream, Milk Protein (ultra-processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Emulsifier (ultra-processing marker) (Sodium Phosphates), Preservative (processing marker) (Potassium Sorbate (processing marker))), Water, Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Dextrose (ultra-processing marker), Stabiliser (Methyl Cellulose (ultra-processing marker)), Vegetable Oil (processing marker) (Sunflower Vegetable Oil, Rapeseed Vegetable Oil), Wheat Starch (processing marker), Cornflour, Rice Flour, Salt (processing marker), Yeast, Paprika, Egg
Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E339 Sodium phosphates , E461 Methyl cellulose
As written on the pack
32% Cypriot Halloumi Full Fat Semi-Hard Cheese (Milk), 32% Greek-Style Medium Fat Semi-Hard Cheese (Cheese (Milk), Water, Cream (Milk), Milk Protein, Salt, Emulsifier: Sodium Phosphates; Preservative: Potassium Sorbate), Water, Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Dextrose, Stabiliser: Methyl Cellulose; Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed) in varying proportions, Wheat Starch, Cornflour, Rice Flour, Salt, Yeast, Paprika, Dried Egg.
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.
- E461 Methyl cellulose 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.
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.
- Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
7 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.
- Cheeses Products in the category "Cheeses" are at least group 3.
- Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
- 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.
- Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.
Among 14 breaded cheeses
From least to most processed, this one ranks 8th. 86% of the breaded cheeses here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4056489383550, 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.
- 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.