Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Maggi 2 Minute Noodles Wholegrain Chicken Flavour ultra-processed?

380g Instant noodles Sold in Australia and Germany

Pack of Maggi 2 Minute Noodles Wholegrain Chicken Flavour

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:

  • 28 ingredients
  • 11 additives

Less processed instant noodles

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

noodle cake (Wheat Flour), Flour 10% (Wheat), Tapioca Starch, Water, Mineral (Salts), 501, Vegetable Oil (Antioxidant), Salt, 415, Vegetable Gum, flavour sachet (Mineral), Salt (Potassium Chloride), Flavour Enhancers, Maltodextrin, Salt, Flavours (Wheat, Soy, Celery), Sugar, Onion, Vegetable Fat

Additives: E320 Butylated hydroxyanisole (bha) , E405 Propane-1‚2-diol alginate , E412 Guar gum , E415 Xanthan gum , E451 Triphosphates , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E500 Sodium carbonates , E501 Potassium carbonates , E508 Potassium chloride , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E405 Propane-1‚2-diol alginate, E412 Guar gum, E415 Xanthan gum, E451 Triphosphates, E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, E621 Monosodium glutamate, E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide.

As written on the pack

NOODLE CAKE: Wheat Flour, Wholemeal Flour (10%) (Wheat), Tapioca Starch, Water, Mineral Salts (508, 451, 501, 500), Vegetable Oil [Antioxidant (320)], Salt, Stabilisers (405, 415, 466), Vegetable Gum (412). FLAVOUR SACHET: Mineral Salt (Potassium Chloride), Flavour Enhancers (621, 635), Maltodextrin, Salt, Flavours (Wheat, Soy and Celery) Sugar, Onion, Vegetable Fat

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.

  • E405 Propane-1‚2-diol alginate A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E451 Triphosphates Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
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  • E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • Flavour enhancer Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (E621) strengthen savoury taste without adding a flavour of their own.
  • 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.
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.

  • 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.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 242 instant noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 205th. 93% of the instant noodles 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 242 instant noodles, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 9556001197665, last edited 27 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.
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.