Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Nations favourite bisto gravy granules ultra-processed?

190g Dehydrated sauces Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Nations favourite bisto gravy granules

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:

  • 18 ingredients
  • 5 additives

Less processed dehydrated sauces

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

Potato Starch, Maltodextrin, Palm Fat, Salt, Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Ammonia Caramel, Sugar, Flavourings Flavour Enhancers, Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), Black Pepper Extract, Rosemary Extract, Onion Oil

Additives: E150c Ammonia caramel , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E392 Extracts of rosemary , E621 Monosodium glutamate

As written on the pack

Potato Starch, Maltodextrin, Palm Fat, Salt, Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Colour (Ammonia Caramel), Sugar, Flavourings Flavour Enhancers (Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), Black Pepper Extract, Rosemary Extract, Onion Oil

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.

  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury 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.

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

  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 50 dehydrated sauces

From least to most processed, this one ranks 21st. 96% of the dehydrated sauces 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 50 dehydrated sauces, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000354919527, last edited 14 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.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.