Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Dr Pepper Zero Sugar ultra-processed?

20oz Colas Sold in the United States

Pack of Dr Pepper Zero Sugar

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:

  • 12 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed colas

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

carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, aspartame, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine, acesulfame potassium, NATURAL and ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, sodium phosphate, Contains (Phenylalanine)

Additives: E150a Plain caramel , E211 Sodium benzoate , E338 Phosphoric acid , E950 Acesulfame k , E951 Aspartame

As written on the pack

CARBONATED WATER, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, ASPARTAME, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CAFFEINE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SODIUM PHOSPHATE. Contains: Phenylalanine.

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.

  • E150a Plain caramel Plain caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E951 Aspartame Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, used in diet drinks and sugar-free products.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
2 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.

  • Sodas Products in the category "Sodas" are at least group 3.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 142 colas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 65th. 99% of the colas 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 142 colas, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0078000035308, last edited 2 October 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.