Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Squeaky Bean Cooking Chorizo ultra-processed?

100g Vegan sausages Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Squeaky Bean Cooking Chorizo

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:

  • 30 ingredients
  • 8 additives

Less processed vegan products

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, water, stabilizers (xanthan gum, sodium alginate, calcium sulphate, diphosphate), pea protein 7%, faba bean protein 7%, paprika, flavourings, ancho chilli 2.5%, salt, potato starch, vegetable fibre (potato, citrus, bamboo), spices (oregano, garlic), garlic, dextrose, preservative (buffered vinegar, filled in casing, stabilizers), sodium alginate, konjac gum, guar gum

Additives: E267 Buffered vinegar , E401 Sodium alginate , E412 Guar gum , E415 Xanthan gum , E425 Konjac , E425i Konjac gum , E450 Diphosphates , E516 Calcium sulphate

As written on the pack

SUNFLOWER OIL, WATER, STABILIZERS (XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM ALGINATE, CALCIUM SULPHATE, DIPHOSPHATE), PEA PROTEIN (7%), FABA BEAN PROTEIN (7%), PAPRIKA, FLAVOURINGS, ANCHO CHILLI (2.5%), SALT, POTATO STARCH, VEGETABLE FIBRE (POTATO, CITRUS, BAMBOO), SPICES (OREGANO, GARLIC POWDER), GARLIC, DEXTROSE, PRESERVATIVE: BUFFERED VINEGAR. FILLED IN VEGAN CASING (STABILIZERS: SODIUM ALGINATE, KONJAC GUM, GUAR GUM).

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.

  • E401 Sodium alginate A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E425 Konjac A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • 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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
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.

  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 18 vegan sausages

From least to most processed, this one ranks 16th. 100% of the vegan sausages 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 18 vegan sausages, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010292969508, last edited 28 April 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.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.