Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Mexican Inspired Rice ultra-processed?

250 g Rices Sold in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Czech Republic

Pack of Tesco Mexican Inspired Rice

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:

  • 23 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed rices

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

Long Grain Rice 81% (Water, Long Grain Rice), Red Pepper 6%, Tomato Purée 4%, Sunflower Oil, Tomato, Sugar, Lemon Juice, Water, Yeast Extract Powder, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika Extract, Curcumin, Cumin, Flavourings, Salt, Jalapeño Chilli, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper

Additives: E100 Curcumin , E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

Cooked Long Grain Rice 81% (Water, Long Grain Rice), Red Pepper 6%. Tomato Purée 4%, Sunflower Oil, Tomato, Sugar, Lemon Juice, Water, Yeast Extract Powder, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Colours (Paprika Extract, Curcumin), Cumin. Flavourings, Salt, Jalapeño Chilli, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cayenne 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.

  • E100 Curcumin Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" 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 293 rices

From least to most processed, this one ranks 268th. 35% of the rices 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 293 rices, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5057008025042, last edited 10 August 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.