Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Pickled onions ultra-processed?

Pickled onions Sold in the United Kingdom and France

Pack of Tesco Pickled onions

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:

  • 8 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed pickled onions

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

Onions, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Malted Barley Extract, Flavouring, Preservative (Sodium Metabisulphite)

Additives: E223 Sodium metabisulphite

As written on the pack

Onions, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Malted Barley Extract, Flavouring (contains Milk), Preservative (Sodium Metabisulphite).

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.

  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
2 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 13 pickled onions

From least to most processed, this one ranks 8th. 54% of the pickled onions 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 13 pickled onions, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010204029184, last edited 14 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 B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.