Is it ultra-processed?
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Is TESCO Plant Chef No-Meat Meatballs ultra-processed?

380g, 18 meatballs Soy beans Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of TESCO Plant Chef No-Meat Meatballs

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:

  • 24 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed soy beans

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

Textured Soya Protein 62%, Water, Onion 8%, Rapeseed Oil, Soya Protein 2%, Chickpea Flour, Yeast Extract, Stabiliser, Methyl Cellulose, Tomato Purée, Parsley, Garlic Purée, Onion, Maltodextrin, Garlic, Salt, Malted Barley Extract, Dextrose, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Tomato, Flavouring, Allergensmaltedbarley, _soya

Additives: E461 Methyl cellulose

As written on the pack

Rehydrated Textured Soya Protein (62%), Water, Onion Purée (8%), Rapeseed Oil, Soya Protein Concentrate (2%), Chickpea Flour, Yeast Extract, Stabiliser (Methyl Cellulose, Tomato Purée, Parsley, Garlic Purée, Onion Powder, Maltodextrin, Garlic Powder, Salt, Malted Barley Extract, Dextrose, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Tomato Powder, Flavouring. Allergensmaltedbarley,_soya

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.

  • 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.

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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
1 ingredient 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 18 soy beans

From least to most processed, this one ranks 18th. 11% of the soy beans 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 18 soy beans, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5059697719912, last edited 9 June 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.