Tesco

roasted vegetable flavour couscous

Barcode 5052004984836

Scanned 23 times by Nomi users

Yes — roasted vegetable flavour couscous is ultra-processed.

The product is classified as ultra-processed because it contains several industrial ingredients/additives: palm oil (a highly refined oil identified as UPF), maltodextrin (an industrially produced refined carbohydrate), flavourings, and colour (paprika extract as an isolated additive). The presence of these ultra-processed ingredients makes the overall product UPF according to NOVA criteria.

Ingredients

3 ultra-processed markers

OK

couscous (durum wheat semolina)
OK

dried red and green peppers
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

tomato powder flavourings (contain barley)
OK

tomato flake sugar
OK

red pepper powder

Ground dried red peppers used as a spice to add heat and color to dishes; forms part of many chili blends.
OK

salt

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

maize starch. roasted red and yellow peppers
OK

dried mushroom
UPF

maltodextrin

A white powder made from starch that has been partially hydrolyzed; used as a thickener or filler and widely used as a food additive.
OK

onion powder

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

dried garlic

Dehydrated garlic cloves ground or whole, used as a pungent seasoning with long shelf life.
OK

lactose

A disaccharide sugar derived from milk, used as a carbohydrate sweetener in dairy and baked products.
OK

dried herbs

Mixed dried culinary herbs used to season dishes; typically a single-ingredient, low-processor plant product.
UPF

colour (paprika extract)

Natural color additive derived from paprika used to impart a red-orange hue in foods.
OK

milk proteins

Proteins derived from milk (e.g., casein, whey proteins) used as a food ingredient to add texture, nutrition, or functional properties.

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Common questions about roasted vegetable flavour couscous

Is roasted vegetable flavour couscous ultra-processed?

Yes — roasted vegetable flavour couscous by Tesco is ultra-processed, so it counts as a UPF (ultra-processed food). The product is classified as ultra-processed because it contains several industrial ingredients/additives: palm oil (a highly refined oil identified as UPF), maltodextrin (an industrially produced refined carbohydrate), flavourings, and colour (paprika extract as an isolated additive). The presence of these ultra-processed ingredients makes the overall product UPF according to NOVA criteria.

Which ingredients in roasted vegetable flavour couscous are ultra-processed?

Nomi flags 3 ingredients in roasted vegetable flavour couscous as ultra-processed markers: palm oil, maltodextrin, colour (paprika extract). 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.