Is Tesco Mince Pies 6 Pack ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 43 ingredients
- 11 additives
- Nutri-Score D
Less processed sweet pies
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
mincemeat 49%, wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), glucose syrup (ultra-processing marker), butter (processing marker), palm oil, rapeseed oil, sugar (processing marker), salt (processing marker), disodium diphosphate (ultra-processing marker), sodium bicarbonate, mincemeat contains (sugar (processing marker)), apple, sultanas, glucose syrup (ultra-processing marker), currants, raisins, glucose-fructose syrup (ultra-processing marker), orange peel, palm oil, rapeseed oil, maize starch (processing marker), mixed spice, lemon peel, apricot purée, malted barley, acetic acid, citric acid, pectin (ultra-processing marker), potassium sorbate (processing marker), sodium metabisulphite, sulphur dioxide, flavouring (ultra-processing marker), sodium citrate, including cereals containing gluten, also, nutrition ri for an 100g each mince pie contains, contains typical values ri average adult 8400k
Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E220 Sulphur dioxide , E223 Sodium metabisulphite , E260 Acetic acid , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E440 Pectins , E450 Diphosphates , E450i Disodium diphosphate , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate
As written on the pack
mincemeat (49%), wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), glucose syrup, butter (milk) (6%), palm oil, rapeseed oil, sugar, salt, raising agents (disodium diphosphate, sodium bicarbonate), mincemeat contains: sugar, apple, sultanas, glucose syrup, currants, raisins, glucose-fructose syrup, orange peel, palm oil, rapeseed oil, maize starch, ground mixed spice, lemon peel, apricot purée, malted barley, acetic acid, citric acid, gelling agent (pectin), preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium metabisulphite, sulphur dioxide), flavouring, acidity regulator (sodium citrate), allergy advice for allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold, also, may contain nuts, suitable for vegetarians nutrition ri for an 100g each mince pie contains (54g) contains typical values ri average adult 8400k
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.
- E440 Pectins Pectins are gelling agents extracted from citrus peel or apple pomace.
- 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.
- Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
- Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
- Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
5 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.
- E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
- 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.
Among 8 fruit tarts
From least to most processed, this one ranks 3rd. 100% of the fruit tarts here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5052909745730, last edited 13 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 D (from A, best, to E).
- General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.