Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Hamburger Helper Double cheeseburger macaroni ultra-processed?

6.0 oz Pasta dishes Sold in the United States and Ireland

Pack of Hamburger Helper Double cheeseburger macaroni

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:

  • 39 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed pasta dishes

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), Cornstarch, Salt, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Canola, Soybean, and Sunflower), Whey, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Blue Cheese (Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Maltodextrin, Nonfat Milk, Natural Flavors, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Annatto, Turmeric Extract, Dairy, Tomatoes, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic, Spices, Yeast Extract, Monoglycerides

Additives: E100 Curcumin , E102 Tartrazine , E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E160b Annatto , E330 Citric acid

As written on the pack

Enriched Macaroni (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Cornstarch, Salt, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Canola, Soybean, and/or Sunflower), Whey, Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Blue Cheese (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Maltodextrin, Nonfat Milk, Natural Flavors, Color (Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Annatto, Turmeric Extract), Dairy Solids, Tomatoes, Onion, Citric Acid, Garlic, Spices, Yeast Extract, Monoglycerides.

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.

  • E100 Curcumin 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.
  • E102 Tartrazine Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 5 in the US).
  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • 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.
  • 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.
6 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.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 543 pasta dishes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 502nd. 73% of the pasta dishes 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 543 pasta dishes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0652729710809, last edited 21 September 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.