Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Lay's Ketchup ultra-processed?

Ketchup Sold in Canada

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:

  • 66 ingredients
  • 11 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed ketchup

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

Specially selected potatoes, Vegetable oil, Seasoning (sugar, maltodextrin, salt, dextrose, vegetables (tomato, garlic, onion), sodium acetate, monosodium glutamate, acetic acid, malic acid, citric acid, modified corn starch, spices, vinegar, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, amaranth, allura red, sunset yellow FCF, indigotine, natural and artificial flavour), Ingrédients (Pommes de teri spécialement sélectionnées), Huile végétale, Assaisonnement (sucre, maltodextrine, sel, dextrose, légumes déshydratés (tomate, ail, oignon), acétate de sodium, glutamate monosodique, acide acétique, acide malique, acide citrique, amidon de maïs modifié, épices, du vinaigre, guanylate disodique, solides sodique, allura, jaune aromes GUARA amaranthe, rouge es naturel et artificiel), Soleil FCF, indigotine, JUSQU'A LA DATE IMPRIMÉE OU ARGENT REMIS UNTIL PRINTED DATE and THIS SNACK IS ON US, consumer relations, service à la clientèle p.o, box 40, cambridge, n1r 5s9 c.p, 40, cambridge, n1r 5s9 weekdays 10 (00 am to 5), 30 pm eastern time en semaine, DE 10 h A 17 h 30, heure de l'est 1 800 376-2257

Additives: E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E129 Allura red , E132 Indigotine , E260 Acetic acid , E262 Sodium acetates , E262i Sodium acetate , E296 Malic acid , E330 Citric acid , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate

As written on the pack

Specially selected potatoes, Vegetable oil, Seasoning (sugar, maltodextrin, salt, dextrose, dehydrated vegetables [tomato, garlic, onion], sodium acetate, monosodium glutamate, acetic acid, malic acid, citric acid, modified corn starch, spices, vinegar solids, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, amaranth, allura red, sunset yellow FCF, indigotine, natural and artificial flavour). Ingrédients : Pommes de teri spécialement sélectionnées, Huile végétale, Assaisonnement (sucre, maltodextrine, sel, dextrose, légumes déshydratés [tomate, ail, oignon], acétate de sodium, glutamate monosodique, acide acétique, acide malique, acide citrique, amidon de maïs modifié, épices, du vinaigre, guanylate disodique, solides sodique, allura, jaune aromes GUARA amaranthe, rouge es naturel et artificiel). Soleil FCF, indigotine, JUSQU'A LA DATE IMPRIMÉE OU ARGENT REMIS UNTIL PRINTED DATE OR THIS SNACK IS ON US. CONSUMER RELATIONS/SERVICE À LA CLIENTÈLE P.O. BOX 40, CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO N1R 5S9 C.P. 40, CAMBRIDGE (ONTARIO) N1R 5S9 WEEKDAYS 10:00 AM TO 5:30 PM EASTERN TIME EN SEMAINE, DE 10 h A 17 h 30, HEURE DE L'EST 1 800 376-2257

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.

  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E129 Allura red Allura red AC is a synthetic red azo dye (FD&C Red No. 40 in the US).
  • E132 Indigotine 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.
  • E627 Disodium guanylate Disodium guanylate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
  • E631 Disodium inosinate Disodium inosinate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
Show 2 more
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
5 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.

  • Salty snacks Products in the category "Salty snacks" are at least group 3.
  • 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 157 ketchup

From least to most processed, this one ranks 157th. 54% of the ketchup 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 157 ketchup, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0060410079430, 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.
  • 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.