Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Frito Cheetos ultra-processed?

Crisps Sold in the United States

Pack of Frito Cheetos

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:

  • 40 ingredients
  • 4 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed crisps

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

carbohydrate 15g dietary fiber less than 1g total sugars less than 1g protein 2g 6% 3% vitamin d omcg calcium 10mg ron 0‚4mg potassium 50mg 0% 0% 2% 0% lot a significant source of added sugars 11%, the % daily value (dv), tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet, 2‚000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, redients (corn meal, corn meal), ferrous sulfate, niaci min mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, vegetable oil (cor dla, and sunflower oil), cheese seasoning, whey, chedda se (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, canola oil, maltodextre e from cornj, natural and artificial flavors, salt, whey prote centrate, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, citric acid, artificil r (yellow 6)), and salt, milk ingredients, to-lay, inc, no, tx 75024-4099 006 frito-lay frito lay rth america, inc, en ee

Additives: E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E270 Lactic acid , E330 Citric acid , E621 Monosodium glutamate

As written on the pack

0% 11% carbohydrate 15g dietary fiber less than 1g total sugars less than 1g protein 2g 6% 3% vitamin d omcg calcium 10mg ron 0,4mg potassium 50mg 0% 0% 2% 0% lot a significant source of added sugars, the % daily value (dv) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet, 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, redients: enriched corn meal (corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niaci min mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (cor dla, and/or sunflower oil), cheese seasoning (whey, chedda se (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes], canola oil, maltodextre e from cornj, natural and artificial flavors, salt, whey prote centrate, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, citric acid, artificil r[yellow 6]), and salt, ains milk ingredients, to-lay, inc, no, tx 75024-4099 006 frito-lay frito lay rth america, inc, en ee

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.

  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • 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.

  • 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.
5 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.

  • Salty snacks Products in the category "Salty snacks" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Microbial culture Microbial cultures ferment foods such as yoghurt, cheese and sourdough.
  • Enzyme Enzymes carry out traditional processes such as cheese making and baking.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 1,471 crisps

From least to most processed, this one ranks 1104th. 64% of the crisps 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 1,471 crisps, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0028400329453, last edited 20 March 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 E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.