Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Abbott Glucerna Original - Vanilla ultra-processed?

237ml Meal replacements Sold in the United States

Pack of Abbott Glucerna Original - Vanilla

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 48 ingredients
  • 17 additives

Less processed meal replacements

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Water, milk protein concentrate, canola oil, glycerin, fructose, maltodextrin, soy protein isolate, fructooligosaccharides, corn oil, soluble corn fiber, potassium citrate, magnesium phosphate, flavoring, cellulose gel, salt, choline chloride, e300, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin, monoglycerides, cellulose gum, e407, calcium phosphate, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, e950, e307a, ferrous sulfate, e418, e955, zinc sulfate, e375, e315, manganese sulfate, e321, e307, e101, e320, copper sulfate, e283, chromium chloride, potassium iodide, sodium selenate, e164, sodium molybdate, e307d, e328, e328

Additives: E164 Saffron , E283 Potassium propionate , E300 Ascorbic acid , E307 Alpha-tocopherol , E307a D-Alpha-tocopherol , E315 Erythorbic acid , E320 Butylated hydroxyanisole (bha) , E321 Butylated hydroxytoluene , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E328 Ammonium lactate , E407 Carrageenan , E418 Gellan gum , E422 Glycerol , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Water, milk protein concentrate, canola oil, glycerin, fructose, maltodextrin, soy protein isolate, fructooligosaccharides, corn oil, soluble corn fiber, potassium citrate, magnesium phosphate, flavoring, cellulose gel, salt, choline chloride, INS 300, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin, monoglycerides, cellulose gum, INS 407, calcium phosphate, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, INS 950, INS 307a, ferrous sulfate, INS 418, INS 955, zinc sulfate, INS 375, INS 315, manganese sulfate, INS 321, INS 307, INS 101, INS 320, copper sulfate, INS 283, chromium chloride, potassium iodide, sodium selenate, INS 164, sodium molybdate, INS 307d, INS 328, INS 328

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E164 Saffron A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E328 Ammonium lactate A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E418 Gellan gum Stabilisers are substances which make it possible to maintain the physico-chemical state of a foodstuff; stabilisers include substances which enable the maintenance of a homogenous dispersion of two or more immiscible substances in a foodstuff, substances which stabilise, retain or intensify an existing colour of a foodstuff and substances which increase the binding capacity of the food, including the formation of cross-links between proteins enabling the binding of food pieces into re-constituted food.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
Show 5 more
  • E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.

Substances rarely used in home kitchens

Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
3 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 56 meal replacements

From least to most processed, this one ranks 56th. 96% of the meal replacements here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 56 meal replacements, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0070074678436, last edited 17 August 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.