Is Kellogg's Special K Cereal ultra-processed?

30 gram Mixed cereal flakes Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring

38 ingredients
No additives
Nutri-Score C

Less processed mixed cereal flakes

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

crunchy rice, wholewheat, barley flakes, ingredients (rice 46%), wholewheat 37%, sugar (processing marker), barley 5%, malted barley flour 3.5%, barley malt flavouring (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), vitamins, minerals (niacin), iron, zinc, vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamins, vitamin b1, thiamin, vitamin b6, folic acid, vitamin d, vitamin b12, best before (see top, 30ce tm), ®, 2018 kellogg company, all rights reserved, المعلومات الغذائية energy, valore energetico, valor energético, enepteia (كيلو جول, كيلو كالورى), الطاقة

As written on the pack

crunchy rice, wholewheat and barley flakes. ingredients: rice (46%), wholewheat (37%), sugar, barley (5%), malted barley flour(3.5%), barley malt flavouring, salt. vitamins & minerals: niacin, iron, zinc, vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b1 (thiamin), vitamin b6, folic acid, vitamin d, vitamin b12. for allergens see ingredients highlighted in bold. may contain: milk. best before: see top. 30ce tm, ®,2018 kellogg company. all rights reserved. المعلومات الغذائية energy/valore energetico/valor energético / enepteia / (كيلو جول / كيلو كالورى)الطاقة

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.

Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 15 mixed cereal flakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 12th. 47% of the mixed cereal flakes 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 mixed cereal flakes, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5053827101554, last edited 27 March 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.