Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Gardein plant-based meatballs ultra-processed?

360 g Beef preparations Sold in the United States, Australia and France

Pack of Gardein plant-based meatballs

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:

  • 31 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed beef preparations

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

water, soy protein, vital wheat gluten, soy protein isolate, canola oil, enriched wheat flour (niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), modified vegetable gum, spices, dehydrated onion, yeast extract, malted barley extract, sea salt, cane sugar, garlic, natural flavors (sources), vinegar, molasses, pea protein, carrot fiber, beetroot fiber, wheat starch, soy lecithin, paprika, turmeric, annatto

Additives: E160b Annatto , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin

As written on the pack

water, soy protein concentrate*, vital wheat gluten*, soy protein isolate*, expeller pressed canola oil*, enriched wheat flour* (niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), modified vegetable gum, spices, dehydrated onion, yeast extract, malted barley extract, sea salt, organic cane sugar, dehydrated garlic, natural flavors (from plant sources), vinegar, molasses, pea protein, carrot fiber, beetroot fiber, wheat starch*, soy lecithin*, extractive of paprika, extractive of turmeric, extractives of annatto,

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.

  • E160b Annatto Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
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.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 40 beef preparations

From least to most processed, this one ranks 36th. 45% of the beef preparations 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 40 beef preparations, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0842234000971, last edited 18 May 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 A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.