Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Aidells Chicken Meatballs Teriyaki & Pineapple ultra-processed?

2.87 lbs (46 oz) Meat balls Sold in the United States

Pack of Aidells Chicken Meatballs Teriyaki & Pineapple

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:

  • 24 ingredients
  • No additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed meat balls

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

chicken, sugar, pineapple (pineapple, cane sugar), chicken broth, vinegar, CONTAINS 2% and LESS OF THE FOLLOWING (sea salt), garlic, brown sugar, miso (soybeans, salt), soy sauce (soybeans, salt), ginger, maltodextrin, spice, salt, natural flavoring, yeast extract, browned in vegetable oil

As written on the pack

CHICKEN, SUGAR, DRIED PINEAPPLE (PINEAPPLE, CANE SUGAR), CHICKEN BROTH, VINEGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: SEA SALT, GARLIC, BROWN SUGAR, DEHYDRATED MISO (SOYBEANS, SALT), DRIED SOY SAUCE (SOYBEANS, SALT), GINGER, MALTODEXTRIN, SPICE, SALT, NATURAL FLAVORING, YEAST EXTRACT. BROWNED IN VEGETABLE OIL.

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.

  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 47 meat balls

From least to most processed, this one ranks 26th. 74% of the meat balls 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 47 meat balls, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0764014000493, last edited 25 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.