Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Jolly Rancher Hard candy ultra-processed?

14 oz Hard candies Sold in the United States

Pack of Jolly Rancher Hard candy

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
  • 9 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed hard candies

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

Corn syrup, sugar, contains 2% and less of (malic acid), natural flavor, artificial flavor, artificial color (red 40), blue 1, yellow 5, yellow 6, mineral oil, lecithin

Additives: E102 Tartrazine , E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E129 Allura red , E133 Brilliant blue FCF , E296 Malic acid , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E905 Synthetic wax , E905a Mineral oil

As written on the pack

Corn syrup; sugar; contains 2% or less of: malic acid; natural flavor and artificial flavor; artificial color [red 40; blue 1; yellow 5; yellow 6]; mineral oil; lecithin (soy).

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.

  • 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).
  • E129 Allura red Allura red AC is a synthetic red azo dye (FD&C Red No. 40 in the US).
  • E133 Brilliant blue FCF Brilliant blue FCF is a synthetic blue dye, listed in the US as FD&C Blue No. 1.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E905 Synthetic wax Microcrystalline wax is a petroleum-derived wax used as a glazing agent.
Show 2 more
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
3 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.

  • Candies Products in the category "Candies" are at least group 3.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 15 hard candies

From least to most processed, this one ranks 12th. 87% of the hard candies 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 15 hard candies, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0010700556868, last edited 7 November 2025), 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 E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.