Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Saag Aloo ultra-processed?

300g Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Tesco Saag Aloo

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:

  • 73 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Cooked Pilau Rice (Water, Basmati Rice, Rapeseed Oil, Salt, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Cumin Seed, Cardamom Pods, Cardamom, Bay Leaf, Colour (Curcumin)), Chicken 21% (Chicken Breast, Tomato Purée, Ginger, Garlic Purée, Cornflour, Water, Salt, Soya Oil, Yogurt Powder, Green Chilli, Palm Oil, Chilli, Yogurt, Skimmed Milk, Coriander, Cumin, Colour (Paprika Extract), Ginger Powder, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Mace, Fenugreek, Star Anise, Turmeric, Basil), Onion, Single Cream, Tomato Purée, Yogurt, Rapeseed Oil, Cashew Nut, Ginger, Garlic Purée, Honey, Butter, Water, Sugar, Coriander, Paprika, Salt, Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Chilli, Fennel, Cardamom, Bay Leaf, Lemon Oil, Colour (Paprika Extract), Made using Thai chicken, Also, Caution Although every care has been taken to remove bones, some may remain, This product can contain small fibres which come from the ginger purée, This product may contain whole spices which should be removed prior to consumption

Additives: E100 Curcumin , E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

Cooked Pilau Rice [Water, Basmati Rice, Rapeseed Oil, Salt, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Cumin Seed, Cardamom Pods, Cardamom Powder, Bay Leaf Powder, Colour (Curcumin)], Cooked Marinated Chicken (21%) [Chicken Breast, Tomato Purée, Ginger Purée, Garlic Purée, Cornflour, Water, Salt, Soya Oil, Yogurt Powder (Milk), Green Chilli Purée, Palm Oil, Chilli Powder, Yogurt (Milk), Skimmed Milk, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Colour (Paprika Extract), Ginger Powder, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Mace, Fenugreek, Star Anise, Turmeric, Basil], Onion, Single Cream (Milk), Tomato Purée, Yogurt (Milk), Rapeseed Oil, Ground Cashew Nut, Ginger Purée, Garlic Purée, Honey, Butter (Milk), Water, Sugar, Coriander, Paprika, Salt, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove Powder, Chilli Powder, Fennel, Cardamom Powder, Bay Leaf Powder, Lemon Oil, Colour (Paprika Extract). Made using Thai chicken. Allergy Advice For allergens, see ingredients in bold. Also, may contain peanuts and other nuts. Caution Although every care has been taken to remove bones, some may remain. This product can contain small fibres which come from the ginger purée. This product may contain whole spices which should be removed prior to consumption.

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.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
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.

  • Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
  • Honey Honey, used as a sweetener.
  • 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

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5057008495333, 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.