Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Sainsbury's lemon couscous ultra-processed?

110g Wheat semolinas Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Sainsbury's lemon couscous

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:

  • 16 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed wheat semolinas

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

Couscous 93% (Durum Wheat Semolina), Maltodextrin, Flavourings, Sugar, Salt, Coriander, Coriander, Palm Oil, Onion, Garlic, Acid (Citric Acid), Lemon Juice, Turmeric, Parsley

Additives: E330 Citric acid

As written on the pack

Dried Couscous (93%), (Durum Wheat Semolina), Maltodextrin, Flavourings, Sugar, Salt, Dried Coriander, Ground Coriander, Palm Oil, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Acid (Citric Acid), Concentrated Lemon Juice Powder, Ground Turmeric, Dried Parsley

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.

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.

  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 30 wheat semolinas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 25th. 33% of the wheat semolinas 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 30 wheat semolinas, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 01892406, last edited 27 March 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.