Is Sainsbury's Mackrel fillets in smoky bbq sauce ultra-processed?

Mackerels 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
E412 Guar gum

14 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score B

Less processed mackerels

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

Mackerel (Scomber scombrus), Water, Tomato Purée, Demerara Sugar (processing marker), Rapeseed Oil, Spirit Vinegar, Garlic Purée, Onion, Chipotle, Salt (processing marker), Guar Gum (ultra-processing marker), Smoked Paprika, Smoke Flavouring (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E412 Guar gum

As written on the pack

Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) (Fish) (65%), Water, Tomato Purée, Demerara Sugar, Rapeseed Oil, Spirit Vinegar, Garlic Purée, Onion Powder, Chipotle Extract, Salt, Guar Gum, Smoked Paprika, Smoke Flavouring.

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.

E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
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 64 mackerels

From least to most processed, this one ranks 62nd. 9% of the mackerels 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 64 mackerels, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00357302, 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.