Is Morrisons The Best red pesto ultra-processed?

190 g Red pestos 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:

E160c Paprika extract

16 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score D

Less processed red pestos

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

red pesto 190ge red pesto made with sundried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil (processing marker) 30%, basil, cheeses (processing marker), ingredients extra virgin olive oil 30%, water, tomato paste, sundried tomato 9%, basil, pecorino romano cheese (processing marker) 3.5% (sheep's milk), parmigiano reggiano cheese (processing marker), pine nuts, garlic purée, lactic acid, paprika extract (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E270 Lactic acid

As written on the pack

red pesto 190ge red pesto made with sundried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil (30%), basil and italian cheeses. ingredients extra virgin olive oil (30%), water, tomato paste, sundried tomato (9%), basil, pecorino romano cheese (3.5%) (sheep's milk), parmigiano reggiano cheese (milk), pine nuts, garlic purée, acidity regulator (lactic acid), colour (paprika extract). allergy advice for allergens, see ingredients in bold. may also contain nuts and peanuts.

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.

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.

Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 26 red pestos

From least to most processed, this one ranks 17th. 42% of the red pestos 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 26 red pestos, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010525135434, last edited 26 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 D (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.