Red’s

Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild

Barcode 5039303002379

Scanned 10 times by Nomi users

Yes — Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild is ultra-processed.

This sauce is ultra-processed because it contains several industrial additives and ultra-processed ingredients, including colour (plain caramel), acidity regulator (acetic acid), smoke flavouring, malted barley extract, and sucrose syrup. These are characteristic of NOVA ultra-processed foods as they are industrial formulations not typically used in home cooking and serve mainly technological or sensory functions.

Ingredients

3 ultra-processed markers

OK

water

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

demerara sugar

Demerara sugar is a coarse-grained brown sugar derived from the cane sugar refining process.
OK

tomato paste

Concentrated tomato juice cooked down to a thick, concentrated concentrate used as a base or flavoring in sauces and dishes.
OK

brown sugar

Unrefined or partially refined sugar with molasses giving a brown color and distinctive flavor; a basic sweetener.
OK

spirit vinegar

A clear, distilled vinegar typically made from fermented alcohol (ethanol) and used for pickling, flavoring, and preservation.
OK

cider vinegar

Fermented apple cider turned into a sour, acidic liquid used for dressings and as a flavoring.
OK

corn flour (cornstarch)

Fine flour derived from corn used as a thickener in sauces and gravies.
OK

salt

Common mineral compound (sodium chloride) used as a seasoning and preservative across cuisines.
OK

orange puree
UPF

plain caramel color

A food coloring produced by heating carbohydrates (often corn or sugar) with acids or alkalis to form a caramel color. Common in beverages and snacks.
OK

worcester sauce (water)
OK

malt vinegar (_barley_)
OK

sugar

Granulated sugar derived from sugarcane or sugar beets; a basic, single-ingredient sweetener.
OK

molasses

A thick, dark syrup produced during sugar refining, rich in flavor and used in baking and cooking.
OK

spices

diverse plant extracts used to flavor foods; can refer to a mix of single or blended seasonings.
OK

dark soy sauce (_soya_ extract (water, _soya_ beans, salt, fortified _wheat_ flour (iron, thiamin, niacin, calcium carbonate)), water, sugar, molasses, salt, malted _barley_ extract)
UPF

acidity regulator (acetic acid)

Acetic acid used as an acidity regulator and food additive.
OK

onion powder

Dried and ground onion used as a seasoning to impart onion flavor.
OK

lemon juice concentrate

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

garlic powder

Dried, ground garlic used as a convenient, concentrated form of garlic flavoring in cooking.
OK

white balsamic vinegar (white wine vinegar, sucrose syrup, balsamic vinegar)
UPF

smoke flavouring

A flavoring agent used to impart smoky aroma or taste in foods. Often an extract or additive designed to mimic smoky flavors.
OK

herbs

A general category of culinary herbs (fresh or dried leaves) used to flavor dishes.
OK

citric acid

A natural organic acid used to balance acidity and preserve foods; a common food additive.

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Common questions about Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild

Is Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild ultra-processed?

Yes — Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild by Red’s is ultra-processed, so it counts as a UPF (ultra-processed food). This sauce is ultra-processed because it contains several industrial additives and ultra-processed ingredients, including colour (plain caramel), acidity regulator (acetic acid), smoke flavouring, malted barley extract, and sucrose syrup. These are characteristic of NOVA ultra-processed foods as they are industrial formulations not typically used in home cooking and serve mainly technological or sensory functions.

Which ingredients in Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild are ultra-processed?

Nomi flags 3 ingredients in Red's Unholy Barbecue Sauce Mild as ultra-processed markers: plain caramel color, acidity regulator (acetic acid), smoke flavouring. 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.