Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Old Bay Seasoning ultra-processed?

Spices Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Old Bay Seasoning

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
  • 1 additive

Less processed spices

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

salt, sugar, paprika, mustard flour, celery seed, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, cloves, coriander seed, thyme, basil, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide), ground nutmeg, rosemary, savory, allspice

Additives: E551 Silicon dioxide

As written on the pack

salt, sugar, paprika, mustard flour, ground celery seed, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, cloves, coriander seed, thyme, basil, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide), ground nutmeg, rosemary, savory, allspice.

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.

  • E551 Silicon dioxide A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
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.

  • Anti-caking agent Anti-caking agents are substances which reduce the tendency of individual particles of a foodstuff to adhere to one another.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 303 spices

From least to most processed, this one ranks 226th. 36% of the spices 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 303 spices, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000225054418, last edited 15 July 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.