Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Knorr Chicken bouillon cubes ultra-processed?

Condiments Sold in the United States

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:

  • 24 ingredients
  • 9 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed condiments

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

Salt, palm oil, monosodium glutamate, corn starch, hydrogenated palm oil, sugar, chicken, hydrolyzed corn protein, autolyzed yeast extract, chicken fat, water, maltodextrin, natural flavor, parsley, disodium inosinate, citric acid, iodized salt (salt, potassium iodide), caramel color, yellow 5, annatto, tbhq, yellow 6

Additives: E102 Tartrazine , E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E150c Ammonia caramel , E160b Annatto , E319 Tertiary-butylhydroquinone (tbhq) , E330 Citric acid , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E631 Disodium inosinate , potassium iodide

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E150c Ammonia caramel.

As written on the pack

Salt, palm oil, monosodium glutamate, corn starch, hydrogenated palm oil, sugar, cooked chicken powder, hydrolyzed corn protein, autolyzed yeast extract, chicken fat, water, maltodextrin, natural flavor, dehydrated parsley flakes, disodium inosinate, citric acid, iodized salt (salt, potassium iodide), caramel color, yellow 5, annatto, tbhq, yellow 6.

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.

  • E102 Tartrazine Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 5 in the US).
  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • 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.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • E631 Disodium inosinate Disodium inosinate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
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  • 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.

  • Hydrogenated oil Hydrogenation turns liquid oil into a solid fat that resists going rancid.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
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.

  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 3,648 condiments

From least to most processed, this one ranks 3623rd. 55% of the condiments 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 3,648 condiments, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0048001219885, last edited 8 June 2024), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • 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.