Is Tesco Strawberry Jam ultra-processed?

450 g Strawberry jams 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:

Gelling agent
E440 Pectins

8 ingredients
4 additives

Less processed strawberry jams

Strawberry Jam Bonne Maman 2 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 3
Organic Reduced Sugar Strawberry Preserves Trader Joe's 5 ingredients · 1 additive NOVA group 3
Björkhimlen Jordgubbssylt Björkhimlen 2 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 3
Ekologisk Jordgubbssylt Torfolk Gård 6 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 3

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

Sugar (processing marker), Strawberries, Water, Gelling Agent (ultra-processing marker) (Pectin (ultra-processing marker)), Citric Acid, Acidity Regulator (Trisodium Citrate)

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E331iii Trisodium citrate , E440 Pectins

As written on the pack

Sugar, Strawberries, Water, Gelling Agent (Pectin), Citric Acid, Acidity Regulator (Trisodium Citrate)

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.

E440 Pectins Pectins are gelling agents extracted from citrus peel or apple pomace.
Gelling agent Gelling agents such as pectin, gelatine or carrageenan set liquids into gels and stabilise textures.

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.

Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 85 strawberry jams

From least to most processed, this one ranks 66th. 95% of the strawberry jams 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 85 strawberry jams, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5057545734872, 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.