Is Knorr Ham Stock Cubes ultra-processed?

10g x 8 Bouillon cubes 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
Maltodextrin

29 ingredients
1 additive

Less processed bouillon cubes

Organic Vegetable Stock Cubes Kallø 19 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 3
Organic Beef Stock Cubes 8 Pack Kallø 21 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 3
Organic Mushroom Stock Cubes imp Kallø 15 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 3
Oxo Organic Garden Vegetable Stock Cubes Oxo 20 ingredients · no 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

Salt (processing marker), starch (processing marker), vegetable fats (processing marker) (palm, shea, sal), yeast extract, sugar (processing marker), smoked bacon 5.9% (bacon, antioxidant (extracts of rosemary), smoke), ham 1.1% (pork, salt (processing marker), antioxidant (extracts of rosemary)), caramel syrup, maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), flavourings (ultra-processing marker), herbs (parsley, tarragon), smoke flavouring (ultra-processing marker), spices (pepper, parsley root, CELERY seeds)

Additives: E392 Extracts of rosemary

As written on the pack

Salt, starch, vegetable fats (palm, shea, sal), yeast extract, sugar, smoked bacon (5.9%) (bacon, antioxidant (extracts of rosemary), smoke), ham powder (1.1%) (pork, salt, antioxidant (extracts of rosemary)), caramel syrup, maltodextrin, flavourings, herbs (parsley, tarragon), smoke flavouring, spices (pepper, parsley root powder, CELERY seeds).

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.

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.

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 fat Vegetable fats are oils that are solid at room temperature, such as palm or coconut fat.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 60 bouillon cubes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 39th. 85% of the bouillon cubes 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 60 bouillon cubes, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000184161103, 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.