Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Waitrose falafel ultra-processed?

Refrigerated falafel Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Waitrose falafel

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:

  • 37 ingredients
  • No additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed refrigerated falafel

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

Onion, chickpeas 21%, rapeseed oil, water, dried apricots 5% (apricots, rice flour, sulphites), fortified wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), yellow split peas, parsley, sultanas, lemon juice, garlic purée, cornflour, cumin, chickpeas, salt, ginger, coriander, mint, coriander, fennel, paprika, lemon zest, black pepper, yeast, wheat gluten, sugar, cinnamon, star anise ALLERGY ADVICE, including cereals containing gluten

As written on the pack

Onion, chickpeas (21%), rapeseed oil, water, chopped dried apricots (5%) (apricots, rice flour, sulphites), fortified wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), ground yellow split peas, parsley, sultanas, lemon juice, garlic purée, cornflour (sulphites), cumin, ground split chickpeas, salt, ginger purée, ground coriander, chopped mint, chopped coriander, fennel, paprika, lemon zest, black pepper, yeast, wheat gluten, sugar (sulphites), cinnamon, star anise ALLERGY ADVICE: For allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in bold. May contain peanuts, nuts and sesame

What makes it ultra-processed

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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
2 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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 17 refrigerated falafel

From least to most processed, this one ranks 12th. 35% of the refrigerated falafel 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 17 refrigerated falafel, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000169568545, last edited 5 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.