Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Great Value Cottage Cheese Small Curd 1% Milkfat ultra-processed?

24 oz Cheeses Sold in the United States

Pack of Great Value Cottage Cheese Small Curd 1% Milkfat

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:

  • 18 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed cheeses

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

nonfat milk, milk, nonfat milk, contains less than 2% of (whey), salt, maltodextrin, guar gum, citric acid, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, locust bean gum, potassium sorbate, caron dioxide (to preserve freshness), natural and artificial flavor, vitamin a palmitate, enzyme

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E407 Carrageenan , E410 Locust bean gum , E412 Guar gum , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

As written on the pack

Cultured nonfat milk, milk, nonfat milk, contains less than 2% of: whey, salt, maltodextrin, guar gum, citric acid, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, locust bean gum, potassium sorbate and caron dioxide (to preserve freshness), natural and artificial flavor, vitamin a palmitate, enzyme.

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.
  • E410 Locust bean gum Locust bean gum (carob gum) is a thickener and stabiliser from the seeds of the carob tree.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • 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.
  • 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.
2 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.

  • Cheeses Products in the category "Cheeses" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 1,224 cheeses

From least to most processed, this one ranks 1179th. 38% of the cheeses 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 1,224 cheeses, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0078742372389, last edited 21 April 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 B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.