Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Wasabi Home Bento Sweet chilli chicken ultra-processed?

Microwave meals Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Wasabi Home Bento Sweet chilli chicken

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:

  • 238 ingredients
  • 11 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

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

Vegetable Fried Noodle 47%, Wheat Noodles, Water, Wheat Noodles (Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, e330, e501, e500), Cabbage, White Onion, Rapeseed Oil, Noodle Sauce (Water, Sugar, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Onion, Melasses, Tamarind Paste, Cornflour, Garlic Puree, Ground Cloves, Ginger), Teriyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Wine, Sugar, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Spice Extracts, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder), Carrot, Green Pea, Stir-Fry Sauce (Water, Sugar, Salt, Molasses, Yeast Extract, Non-Modified Starch, Barley Malt Extract, Garlic Extract), Dark Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Sugar, Salt, Wheat Flour), Sugar, Sesame Oil, e621, Sweet Chilli Sauce 33%, Pineapple (Pineapple, Water, Sugar, e330), Sweet Chilli Sauce, Water, Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Gochujang Style Paste, Glucose Syrup, Fructose, White Wine Vinegar (e223), Black Bean, Red Bell Pepper, Sugar, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Salt, Spirit Vinegar), Onion, Salt, Onion Powder, Ground Cayenne Chilli, e160 (c), Tomato Powder, Rice Flour, Spirit Vinegar, Onion, Fructose, Garlic Puree, Red Chilli Puree, Cornflour, Salt, Pineapple, Tomato Paste, Soy Sauce, Water, Soy (Water, Soybean, Salt, Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin)), Salt, Cane Molasses, Barley Malt Vinegar, Barley Malt Extract, Paprika, Yeast Extract (Water, Salt), e160 (c), Black Pepper, e330, Cinnamon, Green Pepper, White Onion, Chilli Sauce, Water, Sugar, Chilli (Chilli, Water, Salt, e260), Garlic, Modified Tapioca Starch, Salt, e260, Tomato Ketchup, Water, Tomato Paste, Glucose Syrup, Barley Malt Vinegar, Sugar, Native Maize Starch, Salt, e150 (a), e330, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Ground Clove, Glucose Suryp, Onion, Red Pepper, Sugar, Red Pepper Paste (Water, Com Syrup, Wheat Flour, Wheat, Salt, Red Pepper, Soybean, Alcohol, Garlic, Onion, e621), Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt, Alcohol (Ethanol)), Water, Potato Starch, Mirin (Glucose Syrup, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Fermented Rice Alcohol (Water, Rice, Alcohol, Salt, Rice Malt), Sugar, e330, Cane Molasses), Salt, Paprika Powder, Garlic Puree, White Miso (Water, Soybean, Rice, Salt), Chicken 18%, Chicken Breast, Brining Mix (Water, Maize Starch, Salt, e500, Spirit Vinegar, Tapioca Starch, Dried Glucose Syrup), Marinade Mix, Water, Marinade, Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Paprika, Salt, e500 (M), Mushroom Extract (Maltodextrin, Mushroom Extract), Black Pepper Extract, Rapeseed Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Corn Flour

Additives: E14XX Modified Starch , E150 Caramel , E1510 Ethanol , E160 Carotenoids , E220 Sulphur dioxide , E223 Sodium metabisulphite , E260 Acetic acid , E330 Citric acid , E500 Sodium carbonates , E501 Potassium carbonates , E621 Monosodium glutamate

As written on the pack

Vegetable Fried Noodle (47%) (Wheat Noodles (Water, Wheat Noodles (Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Acidity Regulator (E330), Firming Agents (E501, E500)), Cabbage, White Onion, Rapeseed Oil, Noodle Sauce (Water, Sugar, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Onion Puree, Melasses, Tamarind Paste, Cornflour, Garlic Puree, Ground Cloves, Ginger Puree), Teriyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Wine (Sulphur Dioxide), Sugar, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Spice Extracts, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder), Carrot, Green Pea, Stir-Fry Sauce (Water, Sugar, Salt, Molasses, Yeast Extract, Non-Modified Starch, Barley Malt Extract, Garlic Extract), Dark Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Sugar, Salt, Wheat Flour), Sugar, Sesame Oil, Flavour Enhancer (E621)), Sweet Chilli Sauce (33%) (Pineapple (Pineapple, Water, Sugar, Acidity Regulator (E330)), Sweet Chilli Sauce (Water, Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Gochujang Style Paste (Glucose Syrup, Fructose, White Wine Vinegar (Preservative (E223) (Sulphite)), Salted Black Bean (Soya), Concentrated Red Bell Pepper Juice, Sugar, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Salt, Spirit Vinegar), Concentrated Onion Juice, Salt, Onion Powder, Ground Cayenne Chilli, Colour (E160(c)), Tomato Powder, Rice Flour), Spirit Vinegar, Onion, Fructose, Garlic Puree, Red Chilli Puree, Cornflour, Salt, Pineapple Concentrate, Tomato Paste, Soy Sauce (Water, Soy Extract (Water, Soybean, Salt, Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin)), Salt, Cane Molasses, Barley Malt Vinegar, Barley Malt Extract), Paprika, Yeast Extract ((Yeast Extract, Salt), Water, Salt), Colour (E160(c)), Black Pepper, Acidity Regulator (E330), Cinnamon), Green Pepper, White Onion, Chilli Sauce (Water, Sugar, Chilli (Chilli, Water, Salt, Acidity Regulator (E260)), Garlic, Modified Tapioca Starch, Salt, Acidity Regulator (E260)), Tomato Ketchup (Water, Tomato Paste, Glucose Syrup, Barley Malt Vinegar, Sugar, Native Maize Starch, Salt, Colour (E150(a)), Acidity Regulator (E330), Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Ground Clove), Glucose Suryp, Onion Puree, Red Pepper, Sugar, Red Pepper Paste (Water, Com Syrup, Wheat Flour, Wheat, Salt, Red Pepper Powder, Soybean, Alcohol, Garlic, Onion, Flavour Enhancer (E621)), Soy Sauce (Water, Soybean, Wheat, Salt, Alcohol (Ethanol)), Water, Potato Starch, Mirin (Glucose Syrup, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Fermented Rice Alcohol (Water, Rice, Alcohol, Salt, Rice Malt), Sugar, Acidity Regulator (E330), Cane Molasses), Salt, Paprika Powder, Garlic Puree, White Miso (Water, Soybean, Rice, Salt)), Fried Chicken (18%) (Chicken Breast, Brining Mix (Water, Maize Starch, Salt, Acidity Regulator (E500), Spirit Vinegar Powder, Tapioca Starch, Dried Glucose Syrup)), Marinade Mix (Water, Marinade (Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Paprika, Salt, Raising Agent (E500(M)), Mushroom Extract (Maltodextrin, Mushroom Extract), Black Pepper Extract), Rapeseed Oil), Rapeseed Oil, Corn Flour).

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.

  • E14xx Modified Starch Modified starches (E1400 to E1452) are starches treated physically, with enzymes or chemically so that they thicken and hold up to heating, freezing or acidity better than ordinary starch.
  • E150 Caramel A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • E160 Carotenoids A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • 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.

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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
6 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.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 351 microwave meals

From least to most processed, this one ranks 345th. 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 351 microwave meals, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5056297000136, last edited 1 September 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.