Is Marks & Spencer Smashed Avocado ultra-processed?

200 g Avocados Sold in the United Kingdom and Spain

Yes, it's ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Avocado 98%, Salt (processing marker), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Lime Juice, Stabiliser, Xanthan Gum (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E300 Ascorbic acid , E415 Xanthan gum

As written on the pack

Avocado (98%) - Salt - Antioxidant Ascorbic Acid - Lime Juice - Stabiliser. Xanthan Gum. Suitable for vegans

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.

1 ingredient that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

From least to most processed, this one ranks 30th. 6% of the avocados 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.

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00599771, 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.