Is Lifeway Kefir ultra-processed?

946 ml Kefir Sold in the United States and Mexico

Yes, it's ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Pasteurized lowfat milk, nonfat milk, pectin (ultra-processing marker), vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d3, live, active cultures

Additives: E440 Pectins

As written on the pack

Pasteurized lowfat milk, nonfat milk, pectin, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d3, live and active cultures.

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

E440 Pectins Pectins are gelling agents extracted from citrus peel or apple pomace.

From least to most processed, this one ranks 56th. 63% of the kefir 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.

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0017077102322, last edited 11 August 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 B (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.