Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Merchant Gourmet Garlic Ginger & Soy Rice ultra-processed?

250g Rice dishes Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Merchant Gourmet Garlic Ginger & Soy Rice

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:

  • 49 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed rice dishes

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

Cooked Rice 49% (Water, Rice), Long Grain Rice 27% (Water, Long Grain Rice), Water Chestnut 6%, Red Pepper 4%, Spring Onion 4%, Seasoning (Sugar, Maize Starch, Ground Ginger 0.3%, Garlic 0.3%, Soy Sauce 0.1% (Soy Sauce (Salt, Maltodextrin, Soya, Soya Bean, Wheat Flour, Glucose, Barley Malt Extract, Yeast Extract, Burnt Sugar, Spirit Vinegar)), Yeast Extract, Burnt Sugar Powder, Chilli, Star Anise, White Pepper, Cinnamon, Rapeseed Oil, Paprika Extract, Natural Flavouring), Soy Sauce 2.4% (Water, Soya Beans, Salt, Alcohol), Garlic Purée 1.2%, Ginger 1.2%, Sunflower Oil, Cornflour, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Caramelised sugar (Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Maltodextrin)

Additives: E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

Cooked Wholegrain Rice (49%) (Water, Wholegrain Rice), Cooked Long Grain Rice (27%) (Water, Long Grain Rice), Water Chestnut Pieces (6%), Red Pepper (4.0%), Spring Onion (4.0%), Seasoning (Sugar, Maize Starch, Ground Ginger (0.3%), Garlic Granules (0.3%), Soy Sauce Powder (0.1%) [Soy Sauce (Salt, Maltodextrin, Soya Extract, Soya Bean, Wheat Flour, Glucose, Barley Malt Extract, Yeast Extract, Burnt Sugar, Spirit Vinegar)], Yeast Extract, Burnt Sugar Powder, Chilli Powder, Ground Star Anise, Ground White Pepper, Ground Cinnamon, Rapeseed Oil, Paprika Extract, Natural Flavouring), Soy Sauce (2.4%) (Water, Soya Beans, Salt, Alcohol), Garlic Purée (1.2%), Ginger Purée (1.2%), Sunflower Oil, Cornflour, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Caramelised sugar (Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Maltodextrin).

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.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down 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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 192 rice dishes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 154th. 71% of the rice dishes 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 192 rice dishes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5056215600776, 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.