Is it ultra-processed?
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Is General Mills Gushers Variety Pack ultra-processed?

4.8 oz, 6x 0.8 oz pouches Gummi candies Sold in the United States

Pack of General Mills Gushers Variety Pack

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:

  • 26 ingredients
  • 9 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed candies

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

Corn Syrup, Sugar, Pear Puree, Modified Corn Starch, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Palm Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Glycerin, Grape Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Monoglycerides, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Agar-Agar, Xanthan Gum, Color (red 40, blue 1, yellows 5, 6)

Additives: E129 Allura red , E133 Brilliant blue FCF , E296 Malic acid , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E406 Agar , E407 Carrageenan , E415 Xanthan gum , E422 Glycerol

As written on the pack

Corn Syrup, Sugar, Pear Puree, Modified Corn Starch, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Palm Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Glycerin, Grape Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Carrageenan, Monoglycerides, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Agar-Agar, Xanthan Gum, Color (red 40, blue 1, yellows 5 & 6).

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.

  • E129 Allura red Allura red AC is a synthetic red azo dye (FD&C Red No. 40 in the US).
  • E133 Brilliant blue FCF Brilliant blue FCF is a synthetic blue dye, listed in the US as FD&C Blue No. 1.
  • E406 Agar A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
Show 3 more
  • 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.
  • Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
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.

  • Candies Products in the category "Candies" are at least group 3.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 119 gummi candies

From least to most processed, this one ranks 113th. 99% of the gummi candies 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 119 gummi candies, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0016000147331, last edited 16 July 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.