Is Punchy Black Pepper & Sea Salt Rice Cakes ultra-processed?

Puffed rice cakes 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

12 ingredients
No additives

Less processed puffed rice cakes

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

Wholegrain rice 46%, maize (with germ removed), sea salt (processing marker), black pepper seasoning (sea salt (processing marker), buttermilk, rice flour, black pepper, flavourings (ultra-processing marker), sugar (processing marker), acidity regulator)

As written on the pack

Wholegrain rice (46%), maize (with germ removed), sea salt and black pepper seasoning (sea salt, buttermilk powder, rice flour, black pepper, flavourings, sugar, acidity regulator)

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.

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.

Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 142 puffed rice cakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 63rd. 63% of the puffed rice cakes 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 142 puffed rice cakes, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000328333649, last edited 6 February 2024), 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.