Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Smiths Bacon Flavour Fries ultra-processed?

24 g Flavoured potato crisps Sold in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France

Pack of Smiths Bacon Flavour Fries

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:

  • 29 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed flavoured potato crisps

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

Sunflower Oil, Maize, Soya, Rice, Bacon Flavour Seasoning (Whey Powder (from Milk), Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein, Breadcrumbs (contain Wheat), Yeast Powder, Flavourings, Flavour Enhancer (Monosodium Glutamate), Salt, Sugar, Wheat flour (contains Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Potassium Chloride, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Carbonates), Smoked Salt), Colour (Sulphite Ammonia Caramel), Contains (See highlighted ingredients)

Additives: E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel , E500 Sodium carbonates , E621 Monosodium glutamate

As written on the pack

Sunflower Oil, Maize, Soya Grits, Rice, Bacon Flavour Seasoning [Whey Powder (from Milk), Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (contains Soya), Breadcrumbs (contain Wheat), Yeast Powder, Flavourings, Flavour Enhancer (Monosodium Glutamate), Salt, Sugar, Wheat flour (contains Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Potassium Chloride, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Carbonates), Smoked Salt], Colour (Sulphite Ammonia Caramel). Allergy Advice Contains: See highlighted ingredients May contain: Gluten, Barley, Celery, Mustard Suitable for Vegetarians

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.

  • E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel Sulphite ammonia caramel is the dark brown colour in colas and many sauces, made by heating sugars with sulphite and ammonia compounds.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavour enhancer Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (E621) strengthen savoury taste without adding a flavour of their own.
  • 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.

  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
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.

  • Salty snacks Products in the category "Salty snacks" 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 191 flavoured potato crisps

From least to most processed, this one ranks 171st. 95% of the flavoured potato crisps 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 191 flavoured potato crisps, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000328133034, last edited 10 July 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.