Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Elevation Protein Puffs Nacho Cheese Flavored ultra-processed?

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Pack of Elevation Protein Puffs Nacho Cheese Flavored

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
  • 4 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

milk protein isolate, sunflower oil, skim milk, salt, buttermilk, sour cream, whey, whey protein, chili pepper, onion, garlic, milk, cheese sugar, enzymes, lactic acid, butter oil, corn syrup, guar gum, flavors, yeast extract, maltodextrin, spice, color, natural flavors, citric acid, silicon dioxide, cornstarch, disodium phosphate

Additives: E270 Lactic acid , E330 Citric acid , E339ii Disodium phosphate , E412 Guar gum

As written on the pack

milk protein isolate, sunflower oil, skim milk, salt, buttermilk, sour cream solids, whey, whey protein concentrate, chili pepper, onion, garlic, milk , cheese sugar, enzymes, lactic acid, butter oil, corn syrup, guar gum, flavors, yeast extract, maltodextrin, spice and color, natural flavors, citric acid, silicon dioxide, cornstarch, disodium phosphate

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.

  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • 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.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
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.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4099100250114, last edited 6 June 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.