Is Buldak Samyang 2x Spicy Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen ultra-processed?

105g Noodles Sold in Australia, Belgium and 2 more countries

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Gluten
E322 Lecithins
E412 Guar gum
E450 Diphosphates
E452 Polyphosphates
E621 Monosodium glutamate

42 ingredients
12 additives
Nutri-Score E

Less processed noodles

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

noodle 75.8% (wheat flour 42%), tapioca starch (processing marker) 17%, palm oil 13%, wheat gluten (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), emulsifierilecithin (e322 (ultra-processing marker)), soybean oil (processing marker), potassium carbonate (e501), sodium carbonate (e500), sodium phosphate dibasic (e339), SODIUM POLYPHOSPHATE e452, sodium pyrophosphate (ultra-processing marker) (e450), citric acid (e330), onion extract, guar gum (ultra-processing marker) (e412), water, green tea flavor oil soup 23.3% (water), white sugar (processing marker), artificial chicken flavor powder, soy sauce (processing marker), red pepper, soybean oil onion powder, chilli extract flavour enhancer (monosodium l-glutamate (ultra-processing marker) (e621)), garlic powder, salt (processing marker), potato starch (processing marker), yeast extract powder, black pepper powder curry powder, flake 0.9% (roast sesame), laver

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E330 Citric acid , E339 Sodium phosphates , E412 Guar gum , E450 Diphosphates , E450iii Tetrasodium diphosphate , E452 Polyphosphates , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500i Sodium carbonate , E501 Potassium carbonates , E501i Potassium carbonate , E621 Monosodium glutamate

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E452 Polyphosphates.

As written on the pack

NOODLE (75.8%): WHEAT FLOUR(42%), TAPIOCA STARCH 17%), PALM OIL (13%), WHEAT GLUTEN, SALT, EMULSIFIERILECITHIN(E322)], SOYBEAN OIL, ACIDITY REGULATOR POTASSIUM CARBONATE(E501), SODIUM CARBONATE(E500), SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC(E339), SODIUM POLYPHOSPHATE E452), SODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE(E450), CITRIC ACID(E330)], ONION EXTRACT, THICKENER[GUAR GUM(E412)], WATER, GREEN TEA FLAVOR OIL SOUP (23.3%): WATER, WHITE SUGAR, ARTIFICIAL CHICKEN FLAVOR POWDER, SOY SAUCE, RED PEPPER POWDER, SOYBEAN OIL ONION POWDER, CHILLI EXTRACT FLAVOUR ENHANCER[MONOSODIUM L-GLUTAMATE(E621)], GARLIC POWDER, SALT, POTATO STARCH, YEAST EXTRACT POWDER, BLACK PEPPER POWDER CURRY POWDER/FLAKE(0.9%): ROAST SESAME, ROASTED LAVER

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.

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.
E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
E452 Polyphosphates Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury 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.

Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.

7 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.
Terrines Products in the category "Terrines" are at least group 3.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 416 noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 295th. 73% of the noodles 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 416 noodles, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 8801073211216, last edited 17 May 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 E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.