Is Merchant Gourmet Tomatoey French Lentils ultra-processed?

250g Green lentils 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:

Flavouring

27 ingredients
No additives
Nutri-Score A

Less processed green lentils

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 Green Lentils 70% (Water, Green Lentils), Tomato 10%, Basil Sauce 10% (Tomato Purée, Basil, contains Sunflower Oil (processing marker), Rapeseed Oil, Water, Sugar (processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Tapioca Starch (processing marker), Potato Starch (processing marker)), Puy Lentils 10% (Water, Puy Lentils), Onion, Olive Oil (processing marker), Basil 1.5%, Dried Tomato 1.4%, White Wine, Natural Flavour (ultra-processing marker), Garlic, Sugar (processing marker), Black Pepper, Salt (processing marker)

As written on the pack

Cooked Green Lentils (70%) (Water, Green Lentils), Tomato and Basil Sauce (10%) (Tomato Purée, Basil, contains Sunflower Oil and/or Rapeseed Oil, Water, Sugar, Salt, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch). Cooked Puy Lentils (10%) (Water, Puy Lentils), Onion, Olive Oil, Basil (1.5%), Dried Tomato (1.4%), White Wine (Sulphites), Natural Flavour, Garlic, Sugar, Black Pepper, Salt.

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.

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

4 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.

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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 18 green lentils

From least to most processed, this one ranks 10th. 50% of the green lentils 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 18 green lentils, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5018095011318, last edited 25 September 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 A (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.