Yes — Butter Chicken Sauce is ultra-processed.
Not a great choice for everyday.
This butter chicken sauce is ultra-processed because it contains modified maize starch, stabiliser (xanthan gum), and colour (paprika extract), which are pre-identified industrial additives associated with ultra-processing. The recipe also includes several culinary ingredients such as cream, butter, spices, tomato purée, sugar, rapeseed oil, and acids, but these do not outweigh the UPF classification caused by the additives.
Other sauces, condiments & spreads Nomi has checked — these ones aren't ultra-processed.
Crunchy Peanut Butter
Nuts About Nature
Not UPF
Tailor Original Tikka Masala
The Spice Tailor
Not UPF
Organic Houmous ~ With added extra virgin olive oil
Marks & Spencer
Not UPF
Organic Tamari Soy Sauce
Yutaka
Not UPF
Tomato Ketchup
Sainsbury's, By Sainsbury's
Not UPF
PREMIUM SOY SAUCE
LEE KUM KEE
Not UPF
Apricot Jam
Bonne Maman
Not UPF
Buttersoft
By sainsbury's
Not UPF
Frank's Red Hot Original
Frank’s, French's
Not UPF
Red pepper houmous
Tesco
Not UPF
Yes — Butter Chicken Sauce by Tesco is ultra-processed, so it counts as a UPF (ultra-processed food). This butter chicken sauce is ultra-processed because it contains modified maize starch, stabiliser (xanthan gum), and colour (paprika extract), which are pre-identified industrial additives associated with ultra-processing. The recipe also includes several culinary ingredients such as cream, butter, spices, tomato purée, sugar, rapeseed oil, and acids, but these do not outweigh the UPF classification caused by the additives.
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.
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.
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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.