Is Merchant Gourmet ultra-processed?

Appetizers 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:

Colour
Flavouring
E160c Paprika extract
E412 Guar gum

35 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score B

Less processed appetizers

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

Freekeh (Wheat, Water, Freekeh), Cooked Wheatberries 22%, Water, Wheatberries, Red Pepper 7%, Onions, Tomatoes 6%, Red Pepper Paste 4.5% (Red Pepper, White Wine Vinegar, Vegetable Oil (processing marker) (contains Sunflower Oil, Rapeseed Oil), Salt (processing marker)), Green Olives 4% (Green Olives, Salt (processing marker)), Tomato Paste, Olive Oil (processing marker), Garlic Purée, Flavouring (ultra-processing marker), Dried Oregano, Thyme, Yeast Extract Powder, Paprika Powder, Salt (processing marker), Dried Basil, Parsley, Colour (ultra-processing marker) (Paprika Extract (ultra-processing marker)), Stabiliser (Guar Gum (ultra-processing marker))

Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E412 Guar gum

As written on the pack

Cooked Freekeh (Wheat) (39%) (Water, Freekeh), Cooked Wheatberries (22%) Water, Wheatberries), Red Pepper (7%), Onions, Tomatoes (6%), Red Pepper Paste (4.5%) (Red Pepper Purée, White Wine Vinegar, Vegetable Oil (contains Sunflower Oil and/or Rapeseed Oil), Salt), Green Olives (4.0%) (Green Olives, Salt), Tomato Paste, Olive Oil, Garlic Purée, Flavouring, Dried Oregano, Thyme, Yeast Extract Powder, Paprika Powder, Salt, Dried Basil, Parsley, Colour: Paprika Extract; Stabiliser: Guar Gum.

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.

E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

3 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.

Salty snacks Products in the category "Salty snacks" are at least group 3.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 2,498 appetizers

From least to most processed, this one ranks 1889th. 64% of the appetizers 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 2,498 appetizers, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5018095012551, last edited 2 August 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.