Tesco

Plain chocolate digestive biscuits

Barcode 5052004078436

Scanned 22 times by Nomi users

Yes — Plain chocolate digestive biscuits is ultra-processed.

This product is ultra-processed because it contains industrial ingredients and additives, including palm oil (a highly processed refined oil), glucose syrup, partially inverted sugar syrup (an industrially processed inverted sugar), and emulsifier (soya lecithins). These go beyond basic culinary ingredients and place the product in the NOVA ultra-processed category.

Ingredients

5 ultra-processed markers

OK

digestive biscuits half coated in plain chocolate
OK

ingredients wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin)
OK

plain chocolate (30%)
UPF

palm oil

A widely used edible oil pressed from the fruit of oil palms; a basic culinary oil but highly processed in many commercial products.
OK

wholerneal wheat flour
OK

sugar

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

demerara sugar

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

glucose syrup

A processed syrup made from starch (usually corn) consisting mainly of glucose; commonly used as a sweetener and thickener.
OK

raising agents (sodium ricarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate)
UPF

partially inverted sugar syrup

A syrup in which sucrose has been partially inverted into glucose and fructose; produced via acid or enzymatic treatment; used as a sweetener and humectant in foods; typically industrially processed.
OK

3alt
OK

plain chocolate contains: sugar
OK

cocoa mass

Ground or melted cocoa beans; pure cocoa solids used for chocolate making.
OK

cocoa butter

A fat extracted from cocoa beans, used in chocolate, cosmetics, and baking as a fat component.
UPF

soy lecithin

An emulsifier derived from soybeans used to stabilize mixtures and improve texture in foods.
OK

allergy advice for allergens
OK

including cereals containing gluten
OK

see ingredients in bold
OK

also
OK

may contain milk
OK

barley and oats
OK

suitable for vegetarians no artificial preservatives
UPF

flavours

Flavoring agents used to impart or modify taste and aroma. Can be natural, artificial, or a blend; used across food, beverage, and fragrance contexts.
OK

colours or hydrogenated fat

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Common questions about Plain chocolate digestive biscuits

Is Plain chocolate digestive biscuits ultra-processed?

Yes — Plain chocolate digestive biscuits by Tesco is ultra-processed, so it counts as a UPF (ultra-processed food). This product is ultra-processed because it contains industrial ingredients and additives, including palm oil (a highly processed refined oil), glucose syrup, partially inverted sugar syrup (an industrially processed inverted sugar), and emulsifier (soya lecithins). These go beyond basic culinary ingredients and place the product in the NOVA ultra-processed category.

Which ingredients in Plain chocolate digestive biscuits are ultra-processed?

Nomi flags 5 ingredients in Plain chocolate digestive biscuits as ultra-processed markers: palm oil, glucose syrup, partially inverted sugar syrup, soy lecithin, flavours. 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.