Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Uncle Ben’s Lunch bowl ultra-processed?

Microwave meals Sold in the United Kingdom and Germany

Pack of Uncle Ben’s Lunch bowl

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:

  • 17 ingredients
  • No additives

Less processed microwave meals

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

parboiled rice 33%, adzuki beans 19%, pearl barley 16%, sweetcorn 7.7%, red quinoa 5.6%, red pepper 5%, tomato paste, onion, sunflower oil, lime juice, salt, spice 0.3%, garlic, natural colour, jalapeno pepper, herb, natural flavouring

As written on the pack

steamed parboiled wholegrain rice (33%), adzuki beans (19%), steamed pearl barley (16%), sweetcorn (7,7%), steamed red quinoa (5,6%), red pepper (5,0%), tomato paste, onion, sunflower oil, lime juice, salt, spice (0,3%), garlic powder, natural colour, jalapeno pepper, herb, natural flavouring,

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.

  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 350 microwave meals

From least to most processed, this one ranks 147th. 72% of the microwave meals 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 350 microwave meals, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4002359019678, last edited 15 April 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.