Is sardines ultra-processed?

Canned sardines Sold in the United Kingdom

It's processed, but not ultra-processed

Whole foods combined with:

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Sardines (Sardina pilchardus), Olive Oil (processing marker) 24%, Salt (processing marker)

As written on the pack

Sardines (Sardina pilchardus) (Fish) (79%), Olive Oil (24%), Salt.

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.

From least to most processed, this one ranks 42nd. 16% of the canned sardines 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.

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00188142, 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.
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 E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.