Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Impossible Sausage made from plants ultra-processed?

Sausages Sold in the United States

Pack of Impossible Sausage made from plants

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:

  • 35 ingredients
  • 6 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed sausages

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, Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil, Methylcellulose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Casing (Sodium Alginate, Konjac Gum, Guar Gum), Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Dextrose, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Paprika, Spices, Black Pepper, Chili Pepper, Coriander, Red Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Soy Leghemoglobin, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), L-Tryptophan, Soy Protein Isolate, Zinc, vitamins, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, and B12

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E401 Sodium alginate , E412 Guar gum , E425 Konjac , E425i Konjac gum , E461 Methyl cellulose

As written on the pack

Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil, Methylcellulose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Vegetal Casing (Sodium Alginate, Konjac Gum, Guar Gum), Cultured Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Dextrose, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Paprika, Spices, Black Pepper, Chili Pepper, Coriander, Red Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Soy Leghemoglobin, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), L-Tryptophan, Soy Protein Isolate, Zinc, Vitamins (B3, B6, B2, and B12)

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.

  • E401 Sodium alginate 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.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E425 Konjac 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.
  • E461 Methyl cellulose Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • 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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
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.

  • Prepared meats Products in the category "Prepared meats" are at least group 3.
  • Sausages Products in the category "Sausages" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 337 sausages

From least to most processed, this one ranks 329th. 80% of the sausages 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 337 sausages, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0816697020357, last edited 9 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 D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.