Is Marks & Spencer Mimi macarons ultra-processed?

Pastries 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

18 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score D

Less processed pastries

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

129 aron Suitable 203 nut 48 allergy 1.29, Ground Almonds 21%, Sugar (processing marker), Water Cream, Raspberries 4%, Dried Egg White Unsalted Butter, Potato Starch Cocoa Mass Glucose-Fructose Syrup Cocoa Powder, 0.39 Colour (Beetroot Red Raspberry Purée, Malted Barley flour, Glucose Syrup Sugar Syrup Gelling Agent), Pectin (ultra-processing marker), Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid, Caramel Emulsifier), Soya, 029 Lecithin Flavourings, Unite M&S PO B Rave Dub mar C C

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E440 Pectins

As written on the pack

129 aron Suitable 203 nut 48 allergy 1.29 . Ground Almonds (21%) Sugar. Water Cream (Milk) Raspberries (4%) Dried Egg White Unsalted Butter (Milk) Potato Starch Cocoa Mass Glucose-Fructose Syrup Cocoa Powder. 0.39 Colour: Beetroot Red Raspberry Purée. 7.9g Malted Barley flour (contains Gluten). 5.0g Glucose Syrup Sugar Syrup Gelling Agent: Pectin (from Fruits) Acidity Regulator: . 0.4g Citric Acid • Caramel Emulsifier: Soya 2g • 029 Lecithin Flavourings. Unite M&S PO B Rave Dub mar C C

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.

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

How the NOVA groups work

Among 205 pastries

From least to most processed, this one ranks 37th. 87% of the pastries 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 205 pastries, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00700788, last edited 10 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 D (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.