Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Specially Selected Cod Fishcakes ultra-processed?

290 g Breaded fish Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Specially Selected Cod Fishcakes

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:

  • 50 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed breaded fish

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

atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Potato, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Double Cream, Whole Milk, Full Fat Soft Cheese (Full Fat Soft Cheese, Salt), Salt, Potato Flake, Cornflour, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parsley, Fish Stock, Water, Potato Flakes, Fish (Fish, Salt), Salt, Fish, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Onion Powder, Anchovy (Anchovies, Salt, Sunflower Oil), Salted Butter (Butter, Salt), Maize Starch, Yeast, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Fish Gelatine, Paprika, Sugar, Wheat Gluten, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Onion Powder, White Pepper, Black Pepper

Additives: E428 Gelatine

As written on the pack

ATLANTIC COD (Gadus morhua) (FISH) (38%), Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Potato, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Double Cream (Milk), Whole Milk, Full Fat Soft Cheese (Full Fat Soft Cheese (Milk), Salt), Salt, Potato Flake, Cornflour, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parsley, Fish Stock (Water, Potato Flakes, Concentrated Fish Extract (Fish Extract, Salt), Salt, Fish Powder, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Onion Powder, Anchovy Purée (Anchovies (Fish), Salt, Sunflower Oil)], Salted Butter (Butter (Milk), Salt), Maize Starch, Yeast, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Fish Gelatine, Paprika, Sugar, Wheat Gluten, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Onion Powder, Ground White Pepper, Black Pepper.

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.

  • E428 Gelatine Gelatine is a gelling agent made from collagen in animal skin and bones.

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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
7 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.
  • Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 163 breaded fish

From least to most processed, this one ranks 79th. 77% of the breaded fish 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 163 breaded fish, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4088600023533, last edited 12 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.