Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Serious Pig Snacking pickles ultra-processed?

40 g Pickled gherkins Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Serious Pig Snacking pickles

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:

  • 19 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed pickled gherkins

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

Baby Cucumbers, Cucumbers, Salt, Acidity Regulator (Acetic Acid), Preservative (Potassium Metabisulphite), Firming Agent (Calcium Chloride), White Vinegar, Garlic, Onion (Onion, Sunflower Oil), Dill, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid)

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E224 Potassium metabisulphite , E260 Acetic acid , E270 Lactic acid , E509 Calcium chloride

As written on the pack

Baby Cucumbers (Cucumbers, Salt, Acidity Regulator (Acetic Acid), Preservative (Potassium Metabisulphite (Sulphites)), Firming Agent (Calcium Chloride)), White Vinegar, Garlic Juice Concentrate, Onion Juice Concentrate (Onion Juice Concentrate 94%, Sunflower Oil), Dried Dill, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid).

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.

  • Firming agent Firming agents keep fruit and vegetable tissue crisp or firm through processing and storage.
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.

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 25 pickled gherkins

From least to most processed, this one ranks 18th. 56% of the pickled gherkins 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 25 pickled gherkins, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060234310530, 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 D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.