Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Kashi Strawberry Protein Meal Bars ultra-processed?

1.59oz Cereal bars Sold in the United States and France

Pack of Kashi Strawberry Protein Meal Bars

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:

  • 56 ingredients
  • 6 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed cereal bars

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

Soy protein isolate, sugar, vegetable oil (palm kernel vegetable oil, palm vegetable oil), and soybean oil with tbhq for freshness, soluble corn fiber, strawberry flavored cranberries (sugar, cranberries, citric acid, natural flavors, elderberry juice concentrate for color, sunflower oil), corn syrup, fructose, inulin, milk protein isolate, contains 2% and less of dextrose, water, yogurt powder (nonfat milk (heat treated after culturing)), glycerin, sorbitol, soy lecithin, salt, natural and artificial flavors, citric acid, strawberry juice concentrate, xanthan gum, peanut flour, almond flour, wheat starch, bht for freshness, vitamins, minerals (calcium carbonate), vitamin c (ascorbic acid), vitamin e acetate, niacinamide, zinc oxide, reduced iron, vitamins, vitamin b6, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamins, vitamin b1, thiamin hydrochloride, vitamin b12, folic acid, vitamin d3

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E415 Xanthan gum , E420 Sorbitol , E422 Glycerol

As written on the pack

Soy protein isolate, sugar, vegetable oil (palm kernel, palm and soybean oil with tbhq for freshness), soluble corn fiber, strawberry flavored cranberries (sugar, cranberries, citric acid, natural flavors, elderberry juice concentrate for color, sunflower oil), corn syrup, fructose, inulin, milk protein isolate, contains 2% or less of dextrose, water, nonfat yogurt powder (cultured nonfat milk [heat treated after culturing]), glycerin, sorbitol, soy lecithin, salt, natural and artificial flavors, citric acid, strawberry juice concentrate, xanthan gum, partially defatted peanut flour, almond flour, wheat starch, bht for freshness. vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, vitamin c (ascorbic acid), vitamin e acetate, niacinamide, zinc oxide, reduced iron, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin a palmitate, vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b1 (thiamin hydrochloride), vitamin b12, folic acid, vitamin d3.

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.

  • 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.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E420 Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and to keep products moist.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • 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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
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.

  • 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.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 487 cereal bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 415th. 91% of the cereal bars 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 487 cereal bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 03801109, last edited 24 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 A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.