Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Lisa's Mediterranean Falafel Mix ultra-processed?

400g Falafels Sold in New Zealand and France

Pack of Lisa's Mediterranean Falafel Mix

It's processed, but not ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Whole foods combined with:

  • 16 ingredients
  • 1 additive

Less processed meat alternatives

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

Chickpeas 31%, Green Peas 31%, Water, Wheat Flour, Onion, Coriander, Italian Parsley 2.5%, Garlic 1%, Sea Salt, Spices, Lemon Juice Concentrate 1%, Food Acid (Ascorbic), Preservative (202), Chilli

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E202 Potassium sorbate.

As written on the pack

Chickpeas (31%), Split Green Peas (31%), Water, Wheat Flour, Onion Flakes, Coriander, Italian Parsley (2.5%), Garlic (1%), Sea Salt, Spices, Lemon Juice Concentrate (1%), Food Acid (Ascorbic), Preservative (202), Chilli Contains Gluten. May contain traces of dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and sesame. Vegetarian.

What makes it processed

Culinary ingredients

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.

Preservation and traditional processing

Keep food safe or ferment it, like preservatives and cultures. A sign of processing, not ultra-processing.

  • 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 45 falafels

From least to most processed, this one ranks 15th. 42% of the falafels 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 45 falafels, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 9418705003300, last edited 4 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.