Is Warburtons 21 seeds and grains thin bagels ultra-processed?

Bagel breads 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:

Dextrose
Emulsifier
Gelling agent
Glucose
Gluten
E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose
and 2 more

60 ingredients
7 additives
Nutri-Score C

Less processed bagel breads

New York Bakery Co The Original Plain Bagels New York Bakery Co 17 ingredients · 2 additives NOVA group 3
Sourdough bagels Fitzgeralds Sourdough Bagels 26 ingredients · 3 additives NOVA group 3
Original Thin Bagels Warburtons 19 ingredients · 2 additives NOVA group 3
NYC Bagels New York Bakery 20 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

Wheat Flour (with Calcium, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)), Water, Grain Mix 8% (Malted Wheat Flakes, Oats, Malted Barley Flour, Manted Rye Flakes, Kibbled Toasted Rye, Malted Wheat Flour, Kibbled Einkorn (Wheat), Kibbled Emmer (Wheat), Buckwheat, Barley Flakes, Spelt (Wheat), Flakes, White Rice, Maize), Seed Mix 7% (Millet, Sunflower, Brown Linseed, Sesame, White Quinoa, Pumpkin, Red Quinoa, Black Quinoa, Chia, Golden Linseed, Poppy), Wheat Gluten (ultra-processing marker), Yeast, Salt (processing marker), Dextrose (ultra-processing marker), Soya Flour, Caramelised Sugar (processing marker), Preservative (processing marker) (Calcium Propionate), Gelling Agent (ultra-processing marker) (e466 (ultra-processing marker)), Emulsifiers (ultra-processing marker) (e472e (ultra-processing marker)), e481 (ultra-processing marker), Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Flour Treatment Agents (Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)), e920, and ALLERGY ADVICE For allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in In a bakery which uses milk

Additives: E282 Calcium propionate , E300 Ascorbic acid , E330 Citric acid , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E481 Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate , E920 L-cysteine

As written on the pack

Wheat Flour [with Calcium, Iron, Niacin (B3) and Thiamin (B1)], Water, Grain Mix (8%) (Malted Wheat Flakes, Oats, Malted Barley Flour, Manted Rye Flakes, Kibbled Toasted Rye, Malted Wheat Flour, Kibbled Wholemeal Einkorn (Wheat), Kibbled Wholemeal Emmer (Wheat), Buckwheat, Barley Flakes, Spelt (Wheat) Flakes, White Rice Flakes, Maize), Seed Mix (7%) (Millet, Sunflower, Brown Linseed, Sesame, White Quinoa, Pumpkin, Red Quinoa, Black Quinoa, Chia, Golden Linseed, Poppy), Wheat Gluten, Yeast, Salt, Dextrose, Soya Flour, Caramelised Sugar, Preservative: Calcium Propionate; Gelling Agent: E466; Emulsifiers: E472e, E481; Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid; Flour Treatment Agents: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), E920 (Vegetarian). SUITABLE FOR VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS ALLERGY ADVICE For allergens, including cereals containing gluten, see ingredients in In a bakery which uses milk.

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.

E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
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.
E481 Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate 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.
Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
Gelling agent Gelling agents such as pectin, gelatine or carrageenan set liquids into gels and stabilise textures.

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.

Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.

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.

Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 91 bagel breads

From least to most processed, this one ranks 88th. 79% of the bagel breads 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 91 bagel breads, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5010044010045, 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.