Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Great Value Shells & Cheese Three Cheese ultra-processed?

7.25 oz Macaroni and cheese Sold in the United States

Pack of Great Value Shells & Cheese Three Cheese

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:

  • 37 ingredients
  • 4 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed macaroni and cheese

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

macaroni (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), cheddar cheese seasoning (dairy product, enriched wheat flour wheat, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, salt, milk, cheddar, monterey jack, blue cheese (milk, enzymes, cheese culture, salt), modified corn starch, butter oil, milk, lactic acid, maltodextrin, cream, annatto, citric acid, sodium phosphate, sodium caseinate, paprika extract, gum arabic, natural flavorings)

Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E270 Lactic acid , E330 Citric acid , E414 Acacia gum

As written on the pack

ENRICHED MACARONI (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), CHEDDAR CHEESE SEASONING (DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR WHEAT, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], SALT, MILK, CHEDDAR, MONTEREY JACK AND BLUE CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, ENZYMES, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT], MODIFIED CORN STARCH, BUTTER OIL, MILK SOLIDS, LACTIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, CREAM, ANNATTO EXTRACT, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CASEINATE, PAPRIKA EXTRACT, GUM ARABIC, NATURAL FLAVORINGS).

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.

  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • E414 Acacia gum Gum arabic (acacia gum) is the hardened sap of acacia trees, used to stabilise flavour emulsions in soft drinks and to coat sweets.
  • 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.

  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
4 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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 48 macaroni and cheese

From least to most processed, this one ranks 40th. 94% of the macaroni and cheese 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 48 macaroni and cheese, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0078742141336, last edited 28 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 D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.