A 0–100 health score
Processing, additives and nutrition folded into one number, higher is better — so you can compare two products at a glance.
How the score works
Processed food scanner · UK
The processed food scanner built for the UK.
Scrannr is a free processed food scanner for UK shoppers. Scan any barcode to see how processed a food is — its NOVA processing group from Open Food Facts, the additives and E-numbers worth a second look, and the salt, sugar and saturated fat behind its 0–100 health score.
Free to download. No account needed · Made in the UK.
- Powered by Open Food Facts
- Your data stays on your device
- Made in the UK
- Millions of products covered
What processed and ultra-processed food is
Almost everything we eat is processed in some way — the NHS defines a processed food as any food or drink that has been changed when it's made or prepared. That includes harmless things like bagged salad, tinned beans and cheese. "Ultra-processed" is the part worth watching: the NHS describes ultra-processed foods (UPF) as foods that have been through more processing and often include ingredients you wouldn't usually have at home, such as preservatives, sweeteners and emulsifiers.
The label most researchers use is NOVA, a classification that sorts foods by how they're made rather than by their nutrition. It splits food into four groups:
Group 1 · Unprocessed
Whole or minimally processed foods: fresh fruit and veg, plain meat, eggs, milk, plain yoghurt.
Group 2 · Ingredients
Culinary ingredients you cook with: oils, butter, sugar and salt.
Group 3 · Processed
Group 1 foods with Group 2 added: tinned veg, cheese, freshly made bread, cured meats.
Group 4 · Ultra-processed
Industrial formulations with additives and ingredients you wouldn't cook with: many soft drinks, packaged snacks and ready meals.
An honesty note. NOVA is a research framework, not UK law — the Food Standards Agency doesn't have an official UPF category. The NHS says most people would benefit from eating less ultra-processed food that's high in saturated fat, salt or sugar, but a food's processing group is a useful signal, not a medical verdict. Read our full guide to ultra-processed foods.
How it works
How Scrannr spots processed food.
You don't have to decode an ingredient list in the aisle. Scan the barcode and Scrannr does the reading for you.
Point your phone at any barcode and Scrannr looks the product up in Open Food Facts and shows you three things that reveal how processed it is:
- Its processing group. Scrannr surfaces the product's NOVA group from Open Food Facts data, so you can see whether something is minimally processed or firmly in ultra-processed (Group 4) territory.
- The additives, in plain English. A strong additives database flags the E-numbers and additives worth a second look — the emulsifiers, sweeteners and colours that often mark out an ultra-processed product — without the jargon.
- The nutrition behind it. The salt, sugar and saturated fat many UPFs are high in, all folded into a single 0–100 health score so you can compare two products fast.
Where a product's data is incomplete in Open Food Facts, some of this can be missing — coverage grows as the community adds and improves entries. See how the health score works.
What you see
Read the whole packet, in seconds.
One scan turns a barcode into a clear read on how processed a food is — the group, the additives, the nutrition and the score.
Allergen data on every scan
The allergens on file, surfaced so you can spot what to avoid — always check the label if you have an allergy.
Salt, sugar & saturated fat
The nutrition many ultra-processed foods are high in, surfaced behind the score.
Processing group & additive flags
The NOVA processing group from Open Food Facts, plus the additives and E-numbers worth a second look, flagged in plain English.
Are additives safe?
How to scan
Spot a processed food in three taps.
01 — SCAN
Scan a barcode
Point your phone at any food product's barcode. No typing, no searching.
02 — CHECK PROCESSING
See how processed it is
Get the NOVA processing group, additive flags, nutrition and a 0–100 health score in seconds.
03 — CHOOSE
Lean less-processed
Pick the less-processed option without reading a research paper in the aisle.
Additives and E-numbers, explained
Long lists of E-numbers are one of the clearest signs a food is ultra-processed, but an E-number isn't automatically something to fear. In the UK and EU, every food additive is identified by an E number and its safety is assessed before it can be used in food. The regulator, EFSA, evaluates additives, sets an Acceptable Daily Intake where needed, and is working through a re-evaluation of additives approved before 2009.
Scrannr's job isn't to alarm you — it's to translate. It flags the additives worth a second look in plain English so you can decide for yourself, rather than leaving you to Google "E471" in the middle of a supermarket. Are food additives safe? Read the guide.
Keep it in perspective. The evidence linking ultra-processed food to poor health is still developing. A 2023 UK review by SACN found the association is real in the data but hard to separate from the fact that many UPFs are simply high in salt, sugar and saturated fat. Treat the processing group as a helpful signal, and read the label for what matters to you.
FAQ
Processed food, answered.
What is ultra-processed food (UPF)?
Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are foods that have been through more industrial processing than others and often contain ingredients you wouldn't usually cook with at home, such as preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers and colours. The NHS notes that not all processed foods are unhealthy, but many ultra-processed foods are high in calories, saturated fat, salt or sugar.
Can I scan a barcode to check if a food is ultra-processed?
Yes. Scan a product's barcode and Scrannr shows its processing group using the NOVA classification from Open Food Facts data, so you can see at a glance whether it's minimally processed or ultra-processed, alongside its additive flags and nutrition.
What is the NOVA classification?
NOVA is a research classification that sorts foods into four groups by how much they've been processed — from Group 1 (unprocessed or minimally processed) to Group 4 (ultra-processed) — rather than by their nutrition. It's a widely used research framework, not UK law: the Food Standards Agency doesn't have an official UPF category.
Is the processed food scanner free?
Yes. Scrannr is free to use, with five full product analyses a month plus free nutrition, allergens, product search and dietary profiles. Premium unlocks unlimited analyses for £2.99 a month or £14.99 a year, with a 3-day free trial.
Does it work on UK supermarket products?
Yes. Scrannr is made in the UK and built for British shopping, including supermarket own-brands. Its data comes from Open Food Facts, which holds around 190,000 UK products, and the processing and additive information depends on what the community has recorded for each product.
Are food additives dangerous?
In the UK and EU, food additives are identified by an E number and their safety is assessed before they can be used in food. The regulator EFSA evaluates additives, sets an Acceptable Daily Intake where needed, and is re-evaluating older approvals. Scrannr flags the additives worth a second look in plain English so you can decide for yourself; it's not medical advice.
Keep exploring
Want the full picture on any food, not just how processed it is? See how Scrannr works as a UK food health scanner. Comparing your options? Read our honest guide to the best food scanner apps in the UK, or the head-to-head Scrannr vs Yuka. For the background, see what ultra-processed foods are and whether food additives are safe.
Scan out the ultra-processed.
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