Is Marks & Spencer Cauli-panang curry ultra-processed?

Microwave meals Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

E440 Pectins

28 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score B

Less processed microwave meals

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

Cauliflower 26%, Water, Brown Rice, Mung Beans 16%, Quinoa 16% (Water Brown Rice, Mung Beans Red Quinoa Black Onion Seeds), Sweet Potatoes mins, 30 secs 11%, Edamame min, nly, Lime Soybeans 8%, Coconut Milk (Water Coconut Extract), Onions Ginger Purée, Cornflour (Rapeseed Oil, Spices (Turmeric, Coriander Chilli Powder, Cinnamon Allspice), Stabiliser), Pectin (ultra-processing marker), Lime Leaves, Garlic Purée, Lemongrass Red Chilli Purée Reduced Sodium Salt Galangal, Demerara Sugar (processing marker), Coriander Salt Cumin Seeds Paprika Flakes

Additives: E440 Pectins

As written on the pack

Cauliflower (26%). Water. Cooked Brown Rice, Mung Beans and Quinoa (16%) (Water Brown Rice. Mung Beans Red Quinoa Black Onion Seeds) Sweet Potatoes mins, 30 secs (11%) Edamame min. nly. Lime Soybeans (8%). Coconut Milk (Water Coconut Extract) Onions Ginger Purée - Cornflour Juice: Rapeseed Oil. Ground Spices (Turmeric. Coriander Chilli Powder. Cinnamon Allspice). Stabiliser: Pectin · Lime Leaves. Garlic Purée. Lemongrass Red Chilli Purée Reduced Sodium Salt Galangal. Demerara Sugar. Coriander Salt Cumin Seeds Paprika Flakes.

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.

E440 Pectins Pectins are gelling agents extracted from citrus peel or apple pomace.

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.

Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 351 microwave meals

From least to most processed, this one ranks 127th. 72% of the microwave meals 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 351 microwave meals, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 29215379, 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 B (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.