Is King Arthur Baking Company Buttermilk pancake mix ultra-processed?

16 oz Pancake mixes Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
E450 Diphosphates

14 ingredients
5 additives

Less processed pancake mixes

Almond Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix Original Simple Mills 7 ingredients · 4 additives NOVA group 3
Organic Classic Pancake & Waffle Mix Birch Benders 9 ingredients · 4 additives NOVA group 3
Protein Almond Flour Pancake Mix Original Simple Mills 8 ingredients · 4 additives NOVA group 3
Original Pancake & Waffle Mix Pearl Milling Company 14 ingredients · 5 additives NOVA group 3

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

king arthur unbleached flour (wheat flour, enzyme), sunflower oil (processing marker), buttermilk, cane sugar (processing marker), brown sugar (processing marker), baking powder (baking soda, calcium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), natural flavor (ultra-processing marker), sea salt (processing marker), wheat protein

Additives: E341 Calcium phosphates , E341i Monocalcium phosphate , E450 Diphosphates , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E450 Diphosphates.

As written on the pack

KING ARTHUR UNBLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, ENZYME), SUNFLOWER OIL, BUTTERMILK, CANE SUGAR, BROWN SUGAR, BAKING POWDER (BAKING SODA, CALCIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), NATURAL FLAVOR, SEA SALT, WHEAT PROTEIN.

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.

E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
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.

Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 43 pancake mixes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 19th. 79% of the pancake mixes 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 43 pancake mixes, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0071012060092, last edited 22 July 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.