Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Prego Basil Pesto ultra-processed?

Green pestos Sold in the United States

Pack of Prego Basil Pesto

It's processed, but not ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Whole foods combined with:

  • 16 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed 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

Basil, soybean oil, garlic, romano cheese (cow's milk, cultures, salt, enzymes), extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, contains less than 1% of (lactic acid), citric acid, rosemary extract, oregano, water

Additives: E270 Lactic acid , E330 Citric acid , E392 Extracts of rosemary

As written on the pack

Basil, soybean oil, garlic, romano cheese (part-skim cow's milk, cultures, salt, enzymes), extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, contains less than 1% of: lactic acid, citric acid, rosemary extract, oregano, water.

What makes it processed

Processed ingredients

Processed foods in their own right, such as cheese or milk powder.

  • Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

Culinary ingredients

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.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

Preservation and traditional processing

Keep food safe or ferment it, like preservatives and cultures. A sign of processing, not ultra-processing.

  • Microbial culture Microbial cultures ferment foods such as yoghurt, cheese and sourdough.
  • Enzyme Enzymes carry out traditional processes such as cheese making and baking.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 79 green pestos

From least to most processed, this one ranks 39th. 49% of the green 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 79 green pestos, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0051000228161, last edited 21 August 2025), 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.