Is Marks & Spencer Coronation chicken ultra-processed?

Poultry sandwiches Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Marks & Spencer Coronation chicken

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:

  • 52 ingredients
  • 4 additives

Less processed poultry sandwiches

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

British Chicken Thighs, Mayonnaise (processing marker), Water, Rapeseed Oil, Cornflour, Pasteurised Egg Yolk, Vinegar, Sugar (processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Egg, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Black Mustard Seeds, Water, Single Cream, Onions, Raisins, Granulated Sugar (processing marker), Dried Apricots, Vegetable Oil (processing marker), Glucose-Fructose Syrup (ultra-processing marker), Cornflour, Red Wine, Chicken Stock, Water, Chicken Bones, Vinegar, Salt (processing marker), Apricot Puree, Turmeric, Coriander, Garlic Puree, Ground Ginger, Cumin, Rice Flour, Black Pepper, Chilli, Paprika, Mustard Seeds, Fenugreek, Bay Leaves, Ground Pimenton, Nutmeg, Acid, Citric Acid, Caster Sugar (processing marker), Gelling Agent (ultra-processing marker) (Pectin (ultra-processing marker)), Acidity Regulator (e331), Preservative (processing marker) (e220), Natural Flavouring (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E220 Sulphur dioxide , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E440 Pectins

As written on the pack

British Chicken Thighs, Mayonnaise, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Cornflour, Pasteurised Egg Yolk, Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Pasteurised Egg, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Black Mustard Seeds, Water, Single Cream, Onions, Raisins, Granulated Sugar, Dried Apricots, Vegetable Oil, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Cornflour, Red Wine, Chicken Stock, Water, Chicken Bones, Vinegar, Salt, Apricot Puree, Turmeric, Ground Coriander, Garlic Puree, Ground Ginger, Ground Cumin, Rice Flour, Ground Black Pepper, Chilli Powder, Ground Paprika, Mustard Seeds, Fenugreek, Ground Bay Leaves, Ground Pimenton, Nutmeg, Acid, Citric Acid, Caster Sugar, Gelling Agent Pectin, Acidity Regulator E331, Preservative E220, Natural Flavouring

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.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Gelling agent Gelling agents such as pectin, gelatine or carrageenan set liquids into gels and stabilise textures.

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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
6 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.

  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sandwiches Products in the category "Sandwiches" are at least group 3.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 19 poultry sandwiches

From least to most processed, this one ranks 12th. 89% of the poultry sandwiches 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 poultry sandwiches, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00465083, 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.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.