Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Lean Cuisine Classic Alfredo Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli ultra-processed?

10 oz Pasta dishes Sold in the United States

Pack of Lean Cuisine Classic Alfredo Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli

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:

  • 70 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed pasta dishes

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

Pasta, sauce (cooked rigatoni, water), semolina, wheat gluten, skim milk, water, parmesan, asiago cheese blend (parmesan, asiago cheeses (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), flavor (enzyme modified parmesan cheese (cultured milk, water, salt, enzymes)), salt), modified food starch, salt, enzyme modified parmesan cheese paste (parmesan cheese (part-skim milk, salt, enzymes), water, whey protein (from milk), reduced fat milk, milk protein concentrate, enzymes, nonfat milk, cultures), butter (cream, salt), potassium chloride, autolyzed yeast extract, spices, carrageenan, maltodextrin, garlic, lactic acid, calcium lactate, wheat starch, flavoring, lipolyzed cream (butter, milk), sodium citrate, turmeric, annatto color, natural flavor, chicken, broccoli (cooked white meat chicken), broccoli, water, isolated soy protein, modified rice starch, seasoning (chicken broth, chicken, natural flavor), salt, sodium phosphate

Additives: E270 Lactic acid , E407 Carrageenan

As written on the pack

Pasta and sauce: cooked rigatoni (water, semolina, wheat gluten), skim milk, water, parmesan and asiago cheese blend (parmesan and asiago cheeses [cultured milk, salt, enzymes], flavor [enzyme modified parmesan cheese {cultured milk, water, salt, enzymes}], salt), modified food starch, salt, enzyme modified parmesan cheese paste (parmesan cheese [cultured part-skim milk, salt, enzymes], water, whey protein concentrate [from milk], reduced fat milk, milk protein concentrate, enzymes, nonfat milk, cultures), butter (cream, salt), potassium chloride, autolyzed yeast extract, spices, carrageenan, maltodextrin, garlic, lactic acid, calcium lactate, wheat starch, flavoring, lipolyzed cream (butter, nonfat milk solids), sodium citrate, extractives of turmeric and annatto color, natural flavor. chicken and broccoli: cooked white meat chicken, broccoli, water, isolated soy protein, modified rice starch, seasoning (dried chicken broth, chicken powder, natural flavor), salt, sodium phosphate.

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.

  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • 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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
6 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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.
  • Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 544 pasta dishes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 477th. 72% of the pasta dishes 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 544 pasta dishes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0013800174192, last edited 22 September 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.