Is it ultra-processed?
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Is M&S Food Chicken Tikka Masala ultra-processed?

400g Chicken tikka masala Sold in the United Kingdom and France

Pack of M&S Food Chicken Tikka Masala

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:

  • 38 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed chicken tikka masala

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

Chicken Breast 35%, Onions Single Cream, Tomato Paste, Rapeseed Oil, Yogurt, Unsalted Butter, Ginger, Garlic Purée, Low Fat Yogurt, Coriander, Lemon Juice, Honey, Coriander, Cornflour, Salt, Ground, Cumin, Paprika Extract, Turmeric, Green Cardamom, Cumin Seeds, Chilli, Garam Masala (Coriander, Cumin, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Mace, Green Cardamom, Ginger, Fennel, Cloves, Nutmeg, Bay Leaves), Cinnamon, Smoked Paprika, Paprika, Chilli

Additives: E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

Chicken Breast (35%) Onions Single Cream (Milk) (18%) • Tomato Paste • Rapeseed Oil • Yogurt (Milk) • Unsalted Butter (Milk) • Ginger Purée • Garlic Purée • Low Fat Yogurt (Milk) • Coriander • Lemon Juice • Honey • Ground Coriander • Cornflour • Salt • Ground , Cumin • Colour: Paprika Extract • Turmeric • Ground Green Cardamom • Cumin Seeds • Chilli Powder • Ground Garam Masala (Roasted Coriander • Roasted Cumin • Black Pepper • Cinnamon • Mace • Roasted Green Cardamom Seeds • Ginger • Fennel • Cloves • Nutmeg • Bay Leaves) • Ground Cinnamon • Ground Smoked Paprika • Ground Paprika • Chilli Extract.

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.

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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
  • Honey Honey, used as a sweetener.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 19 chicken tikka masala

From least to most processed, this one ranks 3rd. 89% of the chicken tikka masala 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 19 chicken tikka masala, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00918442, last edited 7 August 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.