QUICK CHECK
The 60-Second Label Check
When you are in a supermarket, start with the ingredient list. Then look for common UPF markers and judge the whole formulation before worrying about front-of-pack claims.
1
Find the ingredient list
Ingredients are usually listed from most to least by weight, so the first few ingredients tell you what the product is mostly made from.
2
Look for UPF markers
Notice ingredients rarely used in home kitchens, such as flavourings, emulsifiers, sweeteners, maltodextrin, modified starches and protein isolates.
3
Check the whole formulation
One ingredient alone does not always decide the verdict. Consider the product type, ingredient pattern and whether the food looks like an industrial formulation.
No More UPF shortcut
Traffic-light labels help compare fat, saturates, sugar and salt. They do not tell you whether a food is ultra-processed.
02
Why The Ingredient List Comes First
For UPF checking, the ingredient list matters more than the front of the pack. That is where you can see whether a food is mostly made from recognisable foods and culinary ingredients, or whether it relies on industrial ingredients and cosmetic additives.
UK pre-packed foods must list ingredients, with allergens highlighted. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few ingredients usually tell you what the product is mostly made from.
Look for a pattern, not just the length
A long ingredient list can be a clue, but it is not the classification. A curry sauce with spices may have a long list without being ultra-processed. A short list can still contain a strong NOVA marker. The useful question is: what kind of ingredients are doing the work?
Allergens and medical needs come first
If you are shopping for an allergy, intolerance or medical diet, follow the allergen and medical guidance first. UPF label reading is about processing and formulation; it does not replace allergen advice, clinical diet advice or food-safety warnings.
03
Common UPF Markers to Notice
NOVA identifies ultra-processed foods partly by the presence of ingredients that are not normally used in home cooking, or additives designed to make the product more palatable, attractive or convenient.
UK pre-packed foods must list ingredients, with allergens highlighted. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few ingredients usually tell you what the product is mostly made from.
Texture and consistency
Emulsifiers, stabilisers and thickeners
Common in some sliced breads, desserts, sauces, ice creams, plant milks and ready meals.
- Emulsifiers
- Stabilisers
- Thickeners
Flavour and aroma
Flavourings and flavour enhancers
Terms such as flavouring, natural flavouring, smoke flavouring or flavour enhancer are important clues because they can help create a more engineered flavour profile.
- Flavourings
- Flavour enhancers
- Smoke flavouring
Sweetness and bulk
Sweeteners and unusual sugars
Look for sweeteners, glucose-fructose syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, invert sugar or fruit juice concentrates used as sweetening ingredients.
- Sweeteners
- Maltodextrin
- Glucose-frustose syrup
Structure and protein
Modified starches and protein isolates
Ingredients such as modified starch, hydrolysed protein, soya protein isolate, whey protein and gluten can be markers of industrial formulation.
- Modified starches
- Protein isolates
- Hydrolysed protein
Important nuance
Not every unfamiliar word automatically means a product is ultra-processed. Some additives are used for safety, preservation or standardisation. No More UPF looks at the whole formulation before giving a verdict.
04
Things That Do Not Automatically Mean UPF
Label reading should make shopping easier, not more anxious. These things can be worth noticing, but they do not automatically make a food ultra-processed under NOVA.
NOT AUTOMATIC
Long ingredient list
Spices, herbs, seeds, grains and ordinary recipe ingredients can make a list longer without making the product ultra-processed.
NOT AUTOMATIC
Frozen, tinned and pasteurised
Freezing, tinning and pasteurising can preserve food. They are not the same thing as industrial formulation.
NOT AUTOMATIC
Rapeseed oil or added oil
Oil can be a culinary ingredient. It may matter nutritionally, but it does not automatically make a product NOVA Group 4.
NOT AUTOMATIC
Added vitamins or minerals
Fortification does not decide the whole classification. Check the full formulation before making a call.
NOT AUTOMATIC
Organic or high protein
These claims do not prove a food is non-UPF, but they also do not classify it by themselves. The ingredient list still matters.
NOT AUTOMATIC
One unfamiliar ingredient
One unfamiliar word can be a clue, not a verdict. Look at what the ingredient is doing and how the product is made.
05
What Nutrition Labels Can And Cannot Tell You
Nutrition labels are still useful. They help you compare products for energy, fat, saturated fat, sugars, protein and salt. The NHS advises using front-of-pack colours, where available, as a quick way to compare similar foods.
But nutrition labels answer a different question from NOVA. They tell you about nutrients. They do not tell you how the food was formulated.
Comparing similar products
Use per 100g or per 100ml values when comparing 2 breads, cereals, yoghurts or sauces.
Serving sizes
The portion shown on the pack may be smaller than what you actually eat. Per 100g is often easier for comparison.
UPF classification
A low-sugar, low-fat or high-protein claim does not prove a food is non-UPF. You still need the ingredient list.
06
Front-Of-Pack Claims To Treat Carefully
Front-of-pack wording is designed to help sell the product. Some claims are regulated, but they can still pull your attention away from the ingredient list.
HEALTH HALO
High protein
High-protein bars, yoghurts and snacks often need a closer look. Protein isolates, sweeteners, flavourings and texture additives can shift the formulation toward NOVA Group 4.
MARKETING
Natural or plant-based.
These words do not decide NOVA classification. A plant-based product can be minimally processed, processed or ultra-processed depending on its formulation.
DIET WORDING
Low sugar or low fat
Lower sugar or fat may matter nutritionally, but the product may use sweeteners, thickeners, flavourings or other formulation tools to replace them.
PREMIUM FEEL
Artisan-style or sourdough-style
These claims are not a classification. Bread still needs the ingredient list checked for emulsifiers, added gluten, enzymes, preservatives or other markers.
07
How To Compare 2 Products In A Shop
You do not need to classify every product perfectly. Put 2 realistic options side by side, start with the ingredients and choose the 1 with the simpler formulation.
BREAD
Look for a simple base
Flour, water, salt and yeast or starter is a simple starting point. Emulsifiers, flavourings and some industrial improvers need a closer look.
YOGHURT
Plain usually beats flavoured
Plain yoghurt is often simpler. Flavoured yoghurts may include sweeteners, flavourings, thickeners, colours or dessert-like formulations.
CEREAL
Check beyond the fibre claim
Oats and shredded wheat are usually easier to understand. Many cereals use extracts, syrups, added fibres, colours or flavourings.
READY MEALS
Meal or formulation?
Look for recognisable food ingredients first. Sauces, coatings, reformed proteins, modified starches and multiple additives can change the picture.
Same aisle. Very different label.
Bread A
Ingredients: wheat flour, water, sourdough starter, salt.
This looks closer to traditional bread. There are no obvious NOVA 4 markers in this simplified example.
Bread B
Ingredients: wheat flour, water, yeast, sugar, vegetable oil, emulsifier, preservative, flour treatment agent.
The emulsifier, preservative and flour treatment agent make this more likely to be ultra-processed.
Same aisle. Very different label.
Yoghurt A
Ingredients: Natural Yogurt (Cows’ Milk).
This is usually straightforward. It may be processed, but it is not automatically ultra-processed.
Yoghurt B
Ingredients: Yogurt (57%) (Cows’ Milk), Black Cherries (20%), Whipping Cream (11%) (Cows’ Milk), Sugar, Black Cherry Purée (2%), Cornflour, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Flavouring.
The textur, flavour and sweetness are being shaped by several formulatin ingredients..
08
What To Do With Grey Areas
Some labels are genuinely hard to classify. Manufacturers do not have to explain every processing step, and ingredient names are not always enough to understand the full formulation.
When a product is unclear, No More UPF uses cautious wording rather than pretending to know more than the label can show.
Use these verdict words carefully
- Not UPF: the formulation is consistent with NOVA Groups 1, 2 or 3.
- Likely UPF: the visible formulation strongly supports NOVA Group 4, but some manufacturing detail is not available.
- UPF: the ingredient list and formulation clrarly support NOVA Group 4.
- Needs more information: the label is not enough to make a fair call.
09
Common Label-Reading Mistakes
Using calories as the UPF test
Calories can matter for diet context, but they do not tell you whether a food is ultra-processed.
Assuming organic means non-UPF
Organic products can still include industrial formulation markers. Organic is not a NOVA category.
Thinking all additives are equal
Some additives preserve safety or quality. NOVA is especially concerned with industrial formulation and cosmetic additives that shape taste, colour texture or appeal.
Ignoring product category
The same ingredient may matter differently depending on whether it appears in bread, yoghurt, a ready meal, a sauce or a protein bar.
TAKEAWAY
Remember These 5 Rules
- Start with ingredients. That is where the formulation is visible.
- Ignore marketing until later. High protein, natural and plant-based are not NOVA verdicts.
- Nutrition is not NOVA. Traffic-light labels are useful, but they classify nutrients, not processing.
- Compare similar products. Bread with bread, yoghurt with yoghurt, cereal with cereal.
- Look at the whole formulation. One ingredient can be a clue, but the full product decides the verdict.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Use Label Reading With The Rest Of The Site
METHOD
See how we classify products
INGREDIENTS
Look up common label terms
AUDITS
See labels applied to real products
SOURCES
Further Reading & References
This guide is based on the NOVA classification system and the institutional and methodology sources listed below.
- NHS. Food labels. Page last reviewed 30 June 2026.
- Food Standards Agency and GOV.UK. Packaging and labelling.
- Food Standards Agency and GOV.UK. Nutrition labelling. Published 25 June 2026.
- Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Levy RB, Moubarac JC, Louzada MLC, et al. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutrition. 2019.
- Martinez-Steele E, Khandpur N, Batis C, Bes-Rastrollo M, Bonaccio M, et al. Best practices for applying the Nova food classification system. Nature Food. 2023.
- Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. SACN statement on processed foods and health. GOV.UK. 2023.