Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Jell-O vanilla instant reduced calorie pudding & pie filling ultra-processed?

Creamy puddings Sold in the United States

Pack of Jell-O vanilla instant reduced calorie pudding & pie filling

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:

  • 13 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed dairy desserts

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

modified cornstarch, corn maltodextrin, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, disodium phosphate, for thickening contains less than 2% natural, artificial flavor, salt, calcium sulfate, xanthan gum, mono- and diglycerides (prevents foaming), aspartame, aces

Additives: E339ii Disodium phosphate , E415 Xanthan gum , E450 Diphosphates , E450iii Tetrasodium diphosphate , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

As written on the pack

modified cornstarch, corn maltodextrin, tetrasodium pyrophosphate and disodium phosphate (for thickening contains less than 2% natural and artificial flavor, salt, calcium sulfate, xanthan gum, mono-and diglycerides (prevents foaming), aspartame and aces

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.

  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • 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.
  • 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.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 18 creamy puddings

From least to most processed, this one ranks 7th. 100% of the creamy puddings 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 18 creamy puddings, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0043000205525, last edited 23 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.