Is Kirkland Signature Low Moisture Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella Cheese ultra-processed?

2.5 lb Grated Mozzarella 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:

E460 Cellulose

9 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score D

Less processed grated Mozzarella

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

Low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese (processing marker) (milk, cheese cultures, salt (processing marker), enzymes), potato starch (processing marker), canola oil, cellulose (ultra-processing marker), natamycin

Additives: E235 Natamycin , E460 Cellulose

As written on the pack

Low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), potato starch, canola oil, cellulose, natamycin.

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.

E460 Cellulose A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.

4 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.

Cheeses Products in the category "Cheeses" are at least group 3.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 11 grated Mozzarella

From least to most processed, this one ranks 10th. 18% of the grated Mozzarella 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 11 grated Mozzarella, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0096619415557, last edited 6 June 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 D (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.