Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Plant Chef Chicken-Style Pieces ultra-processed?

300g Textured vegetable protein Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Tesco Plant Chef Chicken-Style Pieces

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:

  • 16 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed textured vegetable protein

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, Textured Vegetable Protein (Wheat Gluten, Wheat Starch, Pea Protein), Rapeseed Oil, Wheat Gluten, Soya Protein Isolate, Potato Starch, Thickener (Methyl Cellulose), Gelling Agent (Carrageenan), Salt, Flavourings, Potato Protein

Additives: E407 Carrageenan , E461 Methyl cellulose

As written on the pack

Water, Rehydrated Textured Vegetable Protein [Wheat Gluten, Wheat Starch, Pea Protein], Rapeseed Oil, Wheat Gluten, Soya Protein Isolate, Potato Starch, Thickener (Methyl Cellulose). Gelling Agent (Carrageenan), Salt, Flavourings, Potato Protein

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.

  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E461 Methyl cellulose Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Gelling agent Gelling agents such as pectin, gelatine or carrageenan set liquids into gels and stabilise textures.
  • Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.

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.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 15 textured vegetable protein

From least to most processed, this one ranks 15th. 47% of the textured vegetable protein 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 15 textured vegetable protein, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5059697689673, 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 A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.