Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Breaded Chicken Steaks ultra-processed?

Breaded chicken Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Tesco Breaded Chicken Steaks

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:

  • 28 ingredients
  • No additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed breaded chicken

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

Chicken 63%, Wheat Flour Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Pea Fibre, Salt, Deactivated Yeast, Wheat Starch, Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Yeast Extract, Spirit Vinegar, Onion, Spices, Sugar, Garlic, Sage, Sunflower Oil, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Thyme, Evaporated Cane Syrup, Cumin, Black Pepper Extract, Made using British chicken

As written on the pack

Chicken (63%), Wheat Flour Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin], Water, Rapeseed Oil, Pea Fibre, Salt, Deactivated Yeast (contains Wheat, Barley), Wheat Starch, Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Yeast Extract, Spirit Vinegar Powder, Onion Powder, Spices, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Sage, Sunflower Oil, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Thyme Extract, Evaporated Cane Syrup, Cumin Extract, Black Pepper Extract. Made using British chicken.

What makes it ultra-processed

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.
  • 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.

  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 115 breaded chicken

From least to most processed, this one ranks 48th. 83% of the breaded chicken 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 115 breaded chicken, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5059697764400, last edited 2 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.