By Sainsbury's

Spicy balti

Barcode 01843477

Scanned 6 times by Nomi users

No — Spicy balti is not ultra-processed.

The ingredient list consists of water, vegetables, spices, herbs, tomato products, rapeseed oil, basic acids (lactic acid, citric acid), and lemon juice. These are all minimally processed or basic culinary ingredients. There are no industrially processed sweeteners, emulsifiers, thickeners, gelling agents, flavor enhancers, refined industrial syrups, or other hallmark ultra-processed additives listed. Therefore, according to the given NOVA-based rules, this is not classified as an ultra-processed food.

Ingredients

2 ultra-processed markers

OK

water

Essential base ingredient for countless foods and beverages; serves as solvent and texture modifier.
OK

tomatoes

Fresh or ripe tomato fruit, commonly used as a base in sauces and salads.
OK

onions

A bulbous vegetable used as a staple aromatic and flavoring in many cuisines.
OK

tomato puree

A cooked, strained tomato product used as a base for sauces and soups.
OK

green pepper

Fresh vegetable, commonly used as a vegetable topping/ingredient; not processed.
OK

coriander leaf

Coriander leaves (cilantro) from the Coriandrum sativum plant, used fresh or dried for aroma and garnish.
OK

rapeseed oil

A basic cooking oil pressed from rapeseed; widely used in cooking.
OK

curry powder mix

A spice blend used to flavor dishes; originates from South Asian culinary traditions. Typically includes a mixture of ground spices, herbs, and sometimes starch as a filler.
UPF

lactic acid acidity regulators

Lactic acid used as an acidity regulator or preservative in food; a common food additive.
UPF

citric acid ground cumin

A likely blend or mis-spelling; citric acid with ground cumin, may be used as a flavoring or preservative.
OK

ground coriander

A spice ground from the dried seeds of Coriandrum sativum. Bright, citrusy, warm flavor widely used in spice blends and curries.
OK

lemon juice concentrate

Lemon juice that has been concentrated by removing water; used as a souring agent or flavoring in foods.
OK

garlic purée

Pureed garlic, often used as a flavoring base.
OK

ground giger ground cardamom

A ground spice mix that seems to combine ginger and cardamom, commonly used in baking and spice blends.
OK

ground fennel seeds

Finely ground seeds of fennel with a warm, sweet-anise aroma.
OK

chilli powder

Ground dried chili peppers used as a spice to add heat and flavor in dishes. It is a basic single-ingredient spice.

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Common questions about Spicy balti

Is Spicy balti ultra-processed?

No — Spicy balti by By Sainsbury's is not ultra-processed, so it is not a UPF (ultra-processed food). The ingredient list consists of water, vegetables, spices, herbs, tomato products, rapeseed oil, basic acids (lactic acid, citric acid), and lemon juice. These are all minimally processed or basic culinary ingredients. There are no industrially processed sweeteners, emulsifiers, thickeners, gelling agents, flavor enhancers, refined industrial syrups, or other hallmark ultra-processed additives listed. Therefore, according to the given NOVA-based rules, this is not classified as an ultra-processed food.

Which ingredients in Spicy balti are ultra-processed?

Nomi flags 2 ingredients in Spicy balti as ultra-processed markers: lactic acid acidity regulators, citric acid ground cumin. See the full ingredient breakdown above for what each one is.

What does "ultra-processed" (UPF) mean?

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrial formulations made with ingredients and additives you wouldn't find in a home kitchen — such as emulsifiers, artificial flavourings, colourings and modified starches. The classification is based on the NOVA system used by researchers and dietitians worldwide.

How can I check whether other foods are ultra-processed?

Scan any barcode — or photograph the ingredients label — with the free Nomi app for iOS and Android. You'll get an instant ultra-processed verdict with every ingredient explained in plain English.

Product information comes from public databases and Nomi's own analysis, and may contain errors. Always check the packaging. Ultra-processed classification is based on the NOVA food processing system.