Is Fairlife protein drink ultra-processed?

Milks Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Maltodextrin
E407 Carrageenan
E950 Acesulfame k

16 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score B

Less processed milks

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

filtered lowfat grade a milk, contains les than 1% of, alkalized cocoa, natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), cellulisem, cllulose gum, salt (processing marker), carrageenan (ultra-processing marker), lactase enzyme, mon frui juce concentrate, acesulfame potassium (ultra-processing marker), sucralose steva leaf extract, maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), vitamin a (palmitate), vitamin d3

Additives: E407 Carrageenan , E950 Acesulfame k

As written on the pack

filtered lowfat grade a milk, contains les than 1% of, alkalized cocoa, natural flavors, cellulisem, cllulose gum, salt, carrageenan, lactase enzyme, mon frui juce concentrate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose steva leaf extract, maltodextrin, vitamin a (palmitate), vitamin d3

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.

E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
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.

1 ingredient 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 440 milks

From least to most processed, this one ranks 396th. 24% of the milks 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 440 milks, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0811620022194, last edited 20 October 2025), 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 B (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.