Is Tesco Sour Cream ultra-processed?

280g Mayonnaises Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Modified starch
E415 Xanthan gum
E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

11 ingredients
4 additives

Less processed mayonnaises

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, soured cream, modified maize starch (ultra-processing marker), double cream, stabilisers (mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (ultra-processing marker), xanthan gum (ultra-processing marker)), acidity regulator (lactic acid), preservative (processing marker) (potassium sorbate (processing marker))

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E270 Lactic acid , E415 Xanthan gum , E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

As written on the pack

water, soured cream (milk) (37%). modified maize starch, double cream (milk). stabilisers (mono - and di-acetyl tartaric acid esters of mono-and di-glycerides of fatty acids. xanthan gum). acidity regulator (lactic acid). preservative (potassium sorbate). allergy advice for allergens. see ingredients in bold. suitable for vegetarians.

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.

E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids 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.
Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

3 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.
Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 239 mayonnaises

From least to most processed, this one ranks 178th. 72% of the mayonnaises 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 239 mayonnaises, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5052909354970, 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.