Is Kirkland Signature Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese ultra-processed?

1.13 kg Grated cheese 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:

E160b Annatto

9 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score E

Less processed grated cheese

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

Cheddar (processing marker), Monterey Jack Cheeses (processing marker) (Milk, Salt (processing marker), Enzymes, Annatto (ultra-processing marker) (Vegetable Color in Cheddar Cheese)), Potato Starch (processing marker), Natamycin

Additives: E160b Annatto , E235 Natamycin

As written on the pack

Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheeses (Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto [Vegetable Color in Cheddar Cheese]), Potato Starch, 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.

E160b Annatto Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.

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 73 grated cheese

From least to most processed, this one ranks 53rd. 33% of the grated cheese 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 73 grated cheese, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0096619221073, last edited 29 May 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 E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.