Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Butter ultra-processed?

500g Butters Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Tesco Butter

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:

  • 21 ingredients
  • 7 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed butters

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

Water, Rapeseed Oil, Palm Oil, Salt 1.3%, Buttermilk, Stabiliser (Sodium Alginate), Emulsifiers (mono- and DiGlycerides of Fatty Acids), Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Sunflower Lecithins, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Lactic Acid, Vitamin E, Colour (Carotenes), Flavouring, vitamins, vitamin A, Vitamin D

Additives: E160a Carotene , E202 Potassium sorbate , E270 Lactic acid , E322 Lecithins , E401 Sodium alginate , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E476 Polyglycerol polyricinoleate

As written on the pack

Water, Rapeseed Oil, Palm Oil, Salt (1.3%), Reconstituted Buttermilk (Milk), Stabiliser (Sodium Alginate), Emulsifiers (Mono - and Di-Glycerides of Fatty Acids), Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Sunflower Lecithins), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Lactic Acid, Vitamin E, Colour (Carotenes), Flavouring, Vitamin A, Vitamin D

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.

  • E160a Carotene Carotenes are orange-yellow pigments, either synthesised or extracted from carrots, algae or palm oil.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • 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.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • E476 Polyglycerol polyricinoleate Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) is an emulsifier made from castor oil.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
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  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 265 butters

From least to most processed, this one ranks 265th. 23% of the butters 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 265 butters, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5051140741594, 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.