Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Sainsbury's Chicken chow mein ultra-processed?

Microwave meals Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Sainsbury's Chicken chow mein

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:

  • 61 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed microwave meals

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

Noodles, Vegetable Mix, Red Pepper, Wheat Noodles (Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Salt, Turmeric, Paprika), Carrot, Beansprout, Water, Shiitake Mushroom, Savoy Cabbage, Spring Greens, Rapeseed Oil, Sesame Oil, Chicken 18% (Chicken Breast, Rapeseed Oil, Cornflour, Ginger, Sugar, Garlic Purée, Sesame Oil, Red Chilli, Soya Bean, Wheat, Salt, Rice Wine), Water, Onion, Rice Wine, Garlic Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Cornflour, Ginger, Sugar, Salt, Soya Bean, Wheat, Plain Caramel, Sesame Oil, Yeast Extract, Black Soya Beans, Mushroom, Cane Molasses, Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Onion, Spirit Vinegar, White Pepper, Lemon Peel

Additives: E150a Plain caramel

As written on the pack

Cooked Noodles and Vegetable Mix (Red Pepper, Wheat Noodles (Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Salt, Turmeric, Paprika), Carrot, Beansprout, Water, Shiitake Mushroom, Savoy Cabbage, Spring Greens, Rapeseed Oil, Sesame Oil), Cooked Marinated Chicken (18%) (Chicken Breast, Rapeseed Oil, Cornflour, Ginger Purée, Sugar, Garlic Purée, Sesame Oil, Red Chilli, Fermented Soya Bean, Wheat, Salt, Rice Wine), Water, Onion, Rice Wine, Garlic Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Cornflour, Ginger Purée, Sugar, Salt, Fermented Soya Bean, Wheat, Colour: Plain Caramel; Sesame Oil, Yeast Extract, Black Soya Beans, Mushroom Concentrate, Cane Molasses, Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Onion Concentrate, Spirit Vinegar, White Pepper, Lemon Peel.

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.

4 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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 351 microwave meals

From least to most processed, this one ranks 134th. 72% of the microwave meals 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 351 microwave meals, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 01235005, last edited 27 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 B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.