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Is Cup Noodles Big Soba Wok Stix Chili ultra-processed?

Chinese noodles Sold in the United Kingdom, France and Germany

Pack of Cup Noodles Big Soba Wok Stix Chili

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:

  • 28 ingredients
  • 7 additives

Less processed chinese 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

Noodles 73.2% (WHEAT flour, palm oil, salt, monosodium glutamate, sodium carbonate, citric acid, triphosphates, tocopherol-rich extract), Seasoning sauce 20.7% (sugar, water, dextrose, rapeseed oil, monosodium glutamate, disodium 5'-ribonucleotides, vinegar, soy sauce, water, llente protein, tomato powder, flavourings, citric acid, chilli (in minuti 0.5%, seasoning sauce)), cabbage, red bell pepper

Additives: E306 Tocopherol-rich extract , E330 Citric acid , E451 Triphosphates , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500i Sodium carbonate , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide

As written on the pack

Noodles 73,2% [WHEAT flour, palm oil, salt, flavour enhancer (monosodium glutamate), acidity regulators (sodium carbonate, citric acid) stabiliser (triphosphates), antioxidant (tocopherol-rich extract)], Seasoning sauce 20,7% [sugar, water, dextrose, rapeseed oil, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium 5'-ribonucleotides), vinegar, soy sauce (water, llente protein, tomato powder, flavourings, acidity regulator (citric acid), chilli powder (0,5 % in minuti, seasoning sauce)], cabbage, red bell pepper.

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.

  • E451 Triphosphates 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.
  • E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • 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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
4 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.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 24 chinese noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 21st. 71% of the chinese 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 24 chinese noodles, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5997523315832, last edited 2 July 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.