Is Marks & Spencer Chow Mein Noodle Box ultra-processed?

Noodles 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:

E150a Plain caramel

16 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score A

Less processed noodles

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

Wheat Noodles (Wheatflour, Water Wheat Gluten Modified Tapioca Starch, Rice Bran Oil Salt), Chow Mein, 9 O Sauce 40%, Water Carrots Mushrooms, Soy Sauce (processing marker) (Soybeans Wheatflour, Water Sugar, Salt (processing marker)), Spring Onions Soybean Paste Sugar Rice Bran Oil Tapioca Starch, Garlic, Rice Vinegar Sesame Oil Colour (Plain Caramel (ultra-processing marker), Yeast Extract Onions)

Additives: E150a Plain caramel

As written on the pack

Wheat Noodles (Wheatflour (contains Gluten) Water Wheat Gluten Modified Tapioca Starch. Rice Bran Oil Salt) Chow Mein • 9 O Sauce (40%) (Water Carrots Mushrooms. Soy Sauce (Soybeans Wheatflour (contains Gluten) Water Sugar - Salt). Spring Onions Soybean Paste Sugar Rice Bran Oil Tapioca Starch · Garlic. Rice Vinegar Sesame Oil Colour: Plain Caramel. Yeast Extract Onions).

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.

E150a Plain caramel Plain caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars.

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.

Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 416 noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 132nd. 73% of the noodles 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 416 noodles, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 29378227, last edited 25 May 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.