Tesco

Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce

Barcode 5051898805821

Scanned 18 times by Nomi users

Yes — Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce is ultra-processed.

The product is ultra-processed because it contains several UPF ingredients/additives, including xanthan gum (a thickener) and steviol glycosides (an artificial/intense sweetener). These are industrially extracted additives not used in traditional home cooking, which makes the overall product UPF under NOVA.

Ingredients

1 ultra-processed marker

OK

reconstituted tomato purée (75%)
OK

cream (milk) (5%)
OK

tomato

A round, red fruit commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. Mostly water with sugars, fiber, and micronutrients like vitamin C and potassium.
OK

sunflower oil

A neutral-tasting culinary oil pressed from sunflower seeds, rich in unsaturated fats and commonly used for frying and dressings.
OK

cornflour

Ground corn starch used as a thickening agent in cooking and baking.
OK

full fat soft cheese (milk) (2%)
OK

sugar

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

onion

A common bulb vegetable used as a base flavor in many cuisines. Crisp, pungent, sweet when cooked.
OK

herbs

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

salt

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

citric acid

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

xanthan gum

A fermented polysaccharide thickener used as a food additive to improve texture.
OK

garlic powder

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

sweetener (steviol glycosides)

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Common questions about Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce

Is Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce ultra-processed?

Yes — Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce by Tesco is ultra-processed, so it counts as a UPF (ultra-processed food). The product is ultra-processed because it contains several UPF ingredients/additives, including xanthan gum (a thickener) and steviol glycosides (an artificial/intense sweetener). These are industrially extracted additives not used in traditional home cooking, which makes the overall product UPF under NOVA.

Which ingredients in Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce are ultra-processed?

Nomi flags one ingredient in Creamy tomato and herb pasta bake sauce as an ultra-processed marker: xanthan gum. 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.