Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Linda McCartney's vegetarian chicken pesto burgers ultra-processed?

227 g Plant-based spreads Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Linda McCartney's vegetarian chicken pesto burgers

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:

  • 39 ingredients
  • 6 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed plant-based spreads

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

soya 65%, WHEAT protein 65% (water, SOYA protein, WHEAT gluten, salt, SOYA bean oil, natural flavouring), water, coconut oil based alternative to cheddar 8% (water, coconut oil, modified potato starch, maize starch, OAT fibre, modified maize starch, thickeners (carrageenan), guar gum, salt, yeast extract, natural flavourings, acidity regulators (lactic acid), sodium lactate, colour (carotenes)), rapeseed oil, basil 5%, SOYA protein, stabiliser (methyl cellulose), rice flour, salt, yeast extract, onion, natural flavouring, garlic, black pepper

Additives: E160a Carotene , E270 Lactic acid , E325 Sodium lactate , E407 Carrageenan , E412 Guar gum , E461 Methyl cellulose

As written on the pack

Rehydrated textured SOYA and WHEAT protein (65%) (water, SOYA protein, WHEAT gluten, salt, SOYA bean oil, natural flavouring), water, coconut oil based alternative to cheddar (8%) (water, coconut oil, modified potato starch, maize starch, gluten free OAT fibre, modified maize starch, thickeners: carrageenan, guar gum; salt, yeast extract, natural flavourings, acidity regulators: lactic acid, sodium lactate; colour: carotenes), rapeseed oil, basil (5%), SOYA protein concentrate, stabiliser: methyl cellulose; rice flour, salt, yeast extract, onion powder, natural flavouring, garlic powder, black pepper.

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.
  • E325 Sodium lactate Antioxidants are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by oxidation, such as fat rancidity and colour changes.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • 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.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
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  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.
  • 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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
  • Soya An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
3 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.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 1,373 plant-based spreads

From least to most processed, this one ranks 1373rd. 51% of the plant-based spreads 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 1,373 plant-based spreads, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5056053307080, 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 A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.